Old age brings many issues that make living a normal life difficult for a person. As your loved ones age, they become more vulnerable to various diseases and dangers. Immobility and physical weakness are two prominent things that come with old age. So it becomes your responsibility to look after your aged parents and make their life comfortable in the house. The first thing included in it is to prepare a comfortable space for them to live safely and spend quality time. We have to decide about certain changes inside the home premises. But the problem is where to start and what the critical locations are that need to be taken care of or altered to make them usable to the parents living in the house. Stop all your worries as we will discuss this topic at a deeper level in this blog and suggest the best options for new upgrades and space arrangements.
Here Are Changes For Creating A Safe Sanctuary For Your Aging Parents:
Start Modifying Your Bathroom
The bathroom is one of the most important areas that need proper upgrades to fit your aging parents. It should be clean and comfortable with all the facilities installed into it for the ease of using it by your parents. There should be no clutter inside the room or sharp edges that can get stuck and cause falls. Use no-slip strips in the bathtub to keep elders from falling. Use rubber-backed mats on the floor and add lever handles instead of doorknobs. Place a waterproof chair inside the bathroom space and use raised toilets to sit comfortably and stand up without using too much force.
Fit Handrails And Railing
Immobility and physical weakness in old age cause people to move around, stand up, and sit down with difficulty. All the more walking around becomes difficult and without the use of some stick to support them some people find it difficult to walk around the house. Hence one of the most important things one can do to deal with these age-old problems of walking, sitting, and standing up is to add appropriate handrails and railings around the house. It will support them to move freely and easily around the house, providing support and confidence.
Add Anti-Slip Mats To The Floor
Elders can easily slip and fall over slippery grounds such as kitchen floors and coming down the stairs. It can cause serious injuries that are likely fatal and long-lasting in the long run. Therefore, adding anti-slip mats to the kitchen floor, dining room floor, and common activity area would be a great solution for avoiding slips and falls. Using anti-slip strips at the edges of the stairs is the most useful thing that one can use to keep their loved ones easy upstairs and downstairs movements. Even small children can benefit from these anti-slip mats and strips placed on the floors. Elders can spend quality time with children, playing with them and getting help from them for small errands inside the house.
Upgrade The Kitchen Space And Appliances
Kitchen upgrading is another important thing you can do to make things more comfortable for your loved ones. It happens that your loved ones would want to make something special for you and other members of the family or share their cooking experience with you. So upgrading the kitchen space, adding automatic appliances, and providing proper lighting inside the space will create a comfortable and smooth environment for your loved ones. You can add lever handles for faucets and easily sliding racks that carry utensils and wares at comfortable, easy-to-reach spots. Place the most used things at the front of the fridge to make things more manageable for your elders.
Build A Safe Bedroom Space
The bedroom is one of the most important areas where your loved ones rest and spend most of their time. So, building a space that is not only comfortable but equipped with complete safety will be of utmost importance. You can place an adjustable bed inside the room to make it secure. Make sure that it has no sharp edges or corners. Give complete attention to the lighting and ventilation inside the room to make it more welcoming. Declutter the space, keep entryways with zero thresholds, having no barriers and obstacles while walking inside the room. Make it accessible for your loved ones with the widening hallways and doorways if they are using wheelchairs.
In addition to this, there is a quick checklist that you should follow:
- Remove throw rugs and mats.
- Repair any loose carpets or damaged flooring.
- Put nonskid treads on the steps.
- Attach handrails along the stairs on both sides.
- Ensure the flooring level is even to avoid tripping.
- Arrange furniture in such a way that there is a clear pathway.
- Fix grab bars in bathrooms and other rooms as required.
- Make sure that any spills are wiped/cleared up right away.
- Apply nonslip wax on floors.
- At the front door, install a ramp with handrails.
- Remove the wheels on the chairs.
Conclusion
You can easily create and maintain a safe and comfortable environment for your loved ones using the guidance and steps mentioned in this write-up. You can mark the most important places inside your home, make certain changes to them, and adapt them to the needs and conditions of your loved ones. Most of these changes are cost-effective and within everyone’s reach. Applying these upgrades to your spaces will make the lives of your aged parents more comfortable and smooth. They will be able to spend more quality time with them and live to complete their final days dignifiedly.