Kitchen and Bath Safety for Home Care Services near Davis, CA
The vast majority of accidents that occur at home have been either in the bathroom or the kitchen. From slips and falls to getting cut by a kitchen knife or other utensil, or even being burned by the stove, there are many hazards that most of us don’t really think about that linger in these two rooms of the house.
Falling down is the number one cause of accidental death among seniors over the age of 65 at home. That is why it is important to focus on kitchen and bath safety tips for somebody who relies on home care services.
Don’t assume that the in-home care provider will be the one who is responsible for checking safety in these rooms or in the rest of the house. The elderly individual, if he or she has family members who are involved in their life and have the opportunity to stop by and inspect the home for potential safety risks, then this is what should happen. If they don’t, they should ask the in-home care provider or the agency that placed him or her with the patient, to take an assessment regarding safety.
National Kitchen and Bath Month is in October and here are a couple of quality safety tips to focus on in these two rooms of the house.
Install grab bars in the bathroom.
For an elderly individual, they will continue to lose muscle mass and strength, including in their legs. This will affect their balance and their ability to regain their balance in the event that they slip. If they slip in the shower or tub, it can be a very serious fall.
Installing grab bars in the tub or shower surround as well as around the toilet can be one way to help keep them safe.
Adding sticky floor pads to slick surfaces.
In the tub as well as on a ceramic bathroom tile floor, when these surfaces get wet they can be extremely slippery. Adding sticky pads can help the senior gain traction. That can reduce the risk of them falling while in the bathroom.
Sharpening knives in the kitchen.
Believe it or not, a dull knife poses a greater risk to a person than a sharp one does. The vast majority of cut related injuries admitted to the emergency room at hospitals are the result of a knife that is too dull. A dull knife means that you will have to press harder to cut through an item. This increases the risk of it slipping and the force behind it will be significant enough to create a serious injury.
Make sure all knives are sharp in the kitchen.
Check smoke detectors.
If the elderly individual is cooking and forgets that the stove is on, most likely smoke will be the first sign to remind them that they have left something there. If the smoke detector nearest the kitchen is not working, then by the time another one detects the smoke, a fire could break out. Make sure all smoke detectors are working properly.
Have an appropriate fire extinguisher close by.
Grease fires can become extremely significant if they are not handled properly. Pouring water on a grease fire can make it explode by up to 25 times its current size. This can envelop a kitchen and cause serious burns and injuries to anybody nearby.
A fire extinguisher that is ideal for grease fires should be located in the kitchen, either under the kitchen sink or on a wall nearby.
These bath and kitchen safety tips should help any elderly individual who requires home care services or not.
If you or an aging loved one needs home care near Davis, CA area, remember Senior Home Care Services for all services needed. Call us at (916) 514-7006 for more information.
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