Top 10 Home Improvement Tips for Senior Citizens
1. The first home improvement tip is to have pathways that are brightly lit, uncluttered and clear both for you and your care giver. Also all walkways, hallways, stairwells, bathrooms and areas for dispensing medicine must be brightly lit. Some night lights in addition to lamps and ceiling lights will be needed.
2. The change in levels should be kept at a minimum on the main floor of the home, for ease of movement. Nonslip flooring must be installed in the entryway. The master bedroom and bathroom should be on the first floor whenever possible. Give due consideration to where you will live and spend most of your time and if necessary plan for going up and down stairs.
3. Safety and emergency procedures must be given due consideration in the home improvement process. Important telephone numbers including those of police, doctors, emergency services, fire and poison control services, must be within easy reach at all times. It id best to have them in one central and easily accessible location in the home as well as in your cell phone. An emergency call system should be installed.
4. Emergency preparedness and first aid kits should always be in an accessible place and smoke and carbon monoxide detectors need to be installed. There should be no carpeting, loose electrical cords, throw rugs or any appliances in the pathways.
5. Have a fire disaster and fire escape plan in place and make your care giver fully aware of it so that there is no confusion when disaster strikes. Suitable assistance devices like ramps, grab bars and handrails must be installed wherever necessary. This should be incorporated into any home improvement plan for senior citizens and thus constitutes and important home improvement tip.
6. A room for your home care provider will need to be set up if your care provider is to sleep at home. You will need to set up a specific desk area for home care professionals so that they can carry out all the patient care paper work as well as other administrative tasks required to carry out their professional duties.
7. You will need to arrange for assisted transportation for yourself. You may also have to provide transportation for the care provider. In case the providers will be transporting the persons under their care then you must have necessary maps handy for them.
8. Make sure that all medicines are stored properly and are readily accessible. Dosages and expiry dates should be clearly marked and any expired medicines should be promptly discarded. Have a system in place so that there is no confusion about medicines and dosages. The care giver must be fully conversant with your care requirements.
9. As an important step in the home improvement and modification process, it may be necessary to replace all door knobs with lever type door handles as they are easier to use. Consider all other fittings and furniture and their suitability and replace some of them if necessary. All appliances in the home should be easy to handle for senior citizens. Low maintenance fittings and devices must be used so that the resources can be focused on home care.
10. Make sure that your pet’s behavior and temperament are suitable for accepting newcomers into the home. Your pet should be able to accept the care givers in the house and the care givers must be conversant with the behavior and temperament of your pet.
The above home improvement tips are not all exhaustive but they are some of the important steps that cannot be ignored if you are planning to spend your old age in the comfort of your home.
