If you are responsible for an elderly relative living alone or in your home, one of your primarily concerns should be to insure you follow basic elder home safety tips for seniors. You have probably spent some time making your home as safe as it can be, but you should insure that your safety measures will provide the safest possible environment.

Home safety tips for seniors:

Communications:

An emergency information list should be posted near every telephone or on the refrigerator.
If the senior is home alone make a scheduled daily phone call or arrange for relatives, friends or neighbors to stop by.

Fire prevention and safety:

Prevent fires by checking that electrical outlets aren't overloaded.
Discourage the use of any candles.
Insure that seniors can leave the house if necessary and can call 911 immediately in the event of an emergency.

Household safety:

Prohibit the use of step a stool or climbing on a chair.
Use an extendable gripper instead of climbing to reach something.
Use these in every bathroom, bedroom and hallway.
Have only nonslip rugs.
Only wear good shoes that grip the floor

Telephones:

Have large-size telephone key pads that light up in the dark.
Have at least one cordless phone.

Lighting:

Install outdoor lighting to increase visibility around the home.
Insure night lights are installed and are working.

Basic Emergency Items:

Insure that there is a first aid kit in the home and its contents are up to date and appropriate for your relative.
Two flashlights with working batteries.
A battery powered radio and insure seniors know which stations provide information in case of a disaster.
Have extra batteries for the flashlights and radio.
Extra pair of glasses
Extra hearing-aid batteries
Extra equipment or medical supplies such as wheelchair batteries or oxygen.
Medical insurance and Medicare cards
Medical alert bracelets if appropriate.
Prescription medication.

The home safety tips for seniors will go a long way to insure that any seniors living in your home are living in a safe and secure environment.

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