Tips to elder proof your apartment
With advanced medical services and healthier lifestyle, senior citizens have a longer life. Yet safety requirements in several homes are not properly suited to elderly and there is risk of suffering injuries. Most apartments in India are not senior friendly and lack safety equipments.
Here are some ideas to elder proof your apartment;
Have light all over:
As we age, our eye sight tend to diminish, so having a home without proper lighting can become a safety hazard. Install low voltage track or recessed lights in every corner of the apartment. These lights can also be automated and can be connected with timers which can turn them off during the day. Motion activated nightlights can also be activated in an apartment porch.
Have a safe floor:
Elders often tend to fall and slips on the floors. Throw rugs are one of the real culprits for most of the falls. To ensure floor safety, an apartment should have hard flooring which is not waxed or cleaned with any slippery products. Wooden floors are always safe for elderly residents.
Split level apartment:
It is recommended that sunken floor should be eliminated or even if there are only two or three steps, add railing for it. Having splitting levels in an apartment will make it easier for the senior residents for an easy movement. Also having vertical platforms in an apartment will help in an easy movement through a wheel chair.
Objects to grip:
Install grab bars especially in the bathroom. It is a must have for homes with mobility-challenged persons.
Plumbing related:
Most senior residents find it difficult to turn faucets, shower knobs and handle knobs and hence depending on the space around a faucet, one can replace the knobs with levers which will be easy to turn around. Also ensure that you check the water heater to avoid over heating up of water.
Easy movement in an apartment:
Most apartments do not have the appropriate passageway to move around in a wheel chair or a scooter. In such cases, it is advisable that the owner does a careful planning and makes the apartment appropriate for a wheelchair movement. The interior doorways should always have enough space for the wheelchair to move in and out.
