Safety Devices

Elder care advice: safety devices for your home

Qualicare’s elder care experts recognize the struggles many elderly people have with living independently at home. We hear too often about seniors falling down, or having a severe accident in the home.

Please find below a list of things you can do improve the safety of your home with some ideal products:

§ Bathtub Non-Slip Pad– There are many types of non-slip pads available that you can place at the bottom of a bathtub. These are very inexpensive and prevent you from slipping while bathing. Some are made of adhesive backed strips which adhere to the surface of the tub and others are a simple rubber mat that lay down on the floor. A mat can be more beneficial if a person does fall because it is typically soft which can absorb some of the impact they might have.

§ Grab Rails– You can add grab rails to any area of the house such as around steps to help get up or to the bathroom area to assist getting in & out of the bathtub. These railings are simply a tube shaped handle that can be mounted to a wall. There are a few types sold in the marketplace with some using a suction cup and others require screws to secure the unit onto the wall.

§ Safety Step Up Stools– Reaching places that are either high up or hard to get to can be a very dangerous. A recent family member of mine actually had this problem. She used a chair to step up to a cabinet and fell down, which turned out to be a serious accident. The safety stools that I recommend are the ones that have a side railing.

§ Reachers– In addition to the safety stools, you can also use devices called ‘reachers’ to prevent falls from high up places. These are clamp type items made with an extended bar which will grab most items from high shelves and cabinets.

§ Ramps– A wheelchair ramp can be permanent, semi-permanent or portable. Permanent ramps are designed to be bolted or otherwise attached in place. Semi-permanent ramps rest on top of the ground or concrete pad and are commonly used for the short term. Permanent and semi-permanent ramps are usually of aluminum, concrete or wood. Aluminum ramps are more durable than wooden ramps and can be moved or reconfigured.

§ Lifts– A stairlift is a mechanical device for lifting people up and down stairs. For sufficiently wide stairs, a rail is mounted to the treads of the stairs. A chair or lifting platform is attached to the rail. A person on the chair or platform is lifted as the chair moves along the rail.

Elder care is a specialized field. If you need at home care or the advice and support of an experienced nurse, then Qualicare can help you. Contact us for more information today.