How to Keep Elderly Visitors Safe in Your Home

Being a great host means that everyone you invite into your home feels welcome and comfortable. But it goes deeper than that; it also means you create the kind of environment that keeps your visitors safe, especially elderly visitors. Seniors can end up with more serious outcomes should an accident, slip, fall or any other type of incident occur. So, what can you do to ensure your home is safe for elderly visitors? Here are some essential tips to use.

Get Rid of Tripping Hazards

A simple place to start is by getting rid of any tripping hazards that may obstruct the hallway or pathways in the room. This is even more important if the elderly visitor has a walking aid, as they need that clear space to get around safely.

Ensure the Home is Well Lit

You may also have low lighting conditions inside and outside of the house, which can make slips and falls more likely. Install plenty of bright lights outdoors along the walkways, driveway, and at the front door. These lights should be left on when expecting visitors. You may even want to install motion-detector lights, so they only come on when needed.

As for the interior, don’t worry about setting the atmosphere with low lighting when you have senior visitors. Instead, make sure there are no dark pockets in the house so they can get around with ease.

Install Traction on Stairs

If your guests need to use stairs to get in and out of the house, or even when inside, installing traction is a good idea. This means they will have better footing on the stairs, which means less chance of falling. It’s not just your elderly guests who will benefit from this safety measure; it helps prevent anyone from falling on the stairs. People may get compensation for falling down stairs. But it would be much better if you can protect them from falling since sometimes this injury will bring them irreversible hurt.

Is the Washroom Safe and Accessible?

There is also the question of the washroom, which is a prime area in the home for accidents. This will probably be more important if your guest stays with you for an extended period and uses the washroom daily.

Some of the changes you can make in the bathroom to make it safer include:

• Grab rails/bars beside the toilet and in the shower
• Adding traction or a gripping bath mat in the shower or bathtub
• Installing a taller toilet
• Installing motion detector lights

Do You Have Adequate Insurance?

Even with your best intentions, issues can still arise, which is why you want to be sure you have adequate insurance in the form of personal liability coverage. You can find personal liability coverage through insurance companies, as it usually comes as standard with all the renters or homeowners’ insurance policies offered.

This kind of coverage is meant to protect you should someone get injured while visiting, as well as other situations. In addition, it gives you peace of mind knowing that, should the unthinkable happen; you do have coverage.

Small changes such as these can make a huge difference and make your home much safer for elderly visitors.