As your parents age, their home can become increasingly dangerous, even if they’ve lived in it for years. Taking steps to fall-proof their home can keep them safe and reduce the likelihood that they face sky-high medical bills from a fall. Find out what steps you can take to protect your parents from fall hazards around the home.
Install Carpeting
Carpeting can provide more friction than smoother flooring surfaces and improve the grip your parents have on it. If they do fall, the carpet can soften the blow and prevent serious injury. Adding carpet to stairs can improve their safety as well provided it’s a type that provides more opportunity for grip, such as a low-pile Berber carpet.
Add Handrails to Stairs
Speaking of stairs, adding handrails to them can provide crucial added support for your parents as they move up and down them. Staircases are the number one area for falls in the home and become increasingly dangerous to the elderly.
Move the Master Bedroom Downstairs
If your parents do have stairs in their home, moving their master bedroom downstairs can lessen the chance that they suffer a catastrophic fall. With their bedroom on the first floor, they’ll have an easier time accessing one of the rooms they use most and can plan trips upstairs more sparingly.
Improve the Lighting
Dim, poorly-lit homes are especially dangerous for elderly people, as their vision is likely poorer than it was just a few years ago. They might not notice that their home is as dim as it is and could have had several close calls already. Outdoor lighting is also vital and can prude extra safety and may help to keep intruders away. Adding nightlights to ooms around the home can make it safer for them to get up and move around when it’s dark.
Go Wireless!
Cords and cables are hard for anyone to deal with at any age. They also pose a tripping hazard to even spry young people. For older people, they can be highly dangerous, and an elderly person could have trouble escaping from a fall or catching themselves from tripping once they’ve started. Switching your parent’s gadgets to wireless could remove a major falling hazard from their home.
Who is Responsible for a Fall in the Home?
A fall in the home can lead to high medical bills for your parent, especially if they suffer a bone fracture. Working with a slip and fall accident lawyer can help to defray the costs of medical care and additional expenses that your parent and you may have to shoulder. Assigning responsibility for the fall is vital to helping them obtain the compensation they’re entitled to. Potentially responsible parties are as follows:
- The property owner: If your parent is living in someone else’s home or is renting, the owner of the property may be responsible for the conditions that led to their fall.
- A caregiver: A careless caregiver could be ultimately responsible for your parent’s fall if they have been negligent in their duties.
- A trespasser: Someone trespassing on your parents’ property or in their home could be responsible for their fall. Unfortunately, tracking down an intruder after they flee can be a challenge.
A fall can change your parent’s life forever and may leave them with significant medical expenses. If they’re the victim of a fall, it’s vital that you help them determine the cause and take the necessary steps to obtain compensation. Doing so could assist them in their financial recovery and can take one important thing off their mind, allowing them to focus on getting better.