General Tips for Home Safety
• Plan and practice an emergency escape route with your elder, in case of fire. This should include a safe meeting place outside the home.
• Subscribe your elder to a personal safety response service in case of emergency. They
will receive an emergency call button to wear as a necklace pendant, on their wrist, or
clipped to their belt. If they fall and can’t get up, they can press the call button; that will automatically activate an emergency call for help over their telephone.
will receive an emergency call button to wear as a necklace pendant, on their wrist, or
clipped to their belt. If they fall and can’t get up, they can press the call button; that will automatically activate an emergency call for help over their telephone.
• Telephones should be in each main room, and
should be low enough so they can be reached
from the floor in case of a fall.
should be low enough so they can be reached
from the floor in case of a fall.
• Program telephones with emergency numbers:
doctor, fire department, police, family contact,
poison control, a neighbor, caregiver, and so
on. Also, post a list of these numbers by each telephone.
doctor, fire department, police, family contact,
poison control, a neighbor, caregiver, and so
on. Also, post a list of these numbers by each telephone.
• Make sure the ringer volume on the telephone
is loud enough for your elder to hear, even
when watching TV or listening to the radio.
is loud enough for your elder to hear, even
when watching TV or listening to the radio.
• Make sure any door thresholds are low, and
don’t serve as a tripping hazard. If they are too high, remove them.
don’t serve as a tripping hazard. If they are too high, remove them.
• Replace round doorknobs with lever-action
handles.
handles.
• Remove interior locks on all doors to prevent
your elder from locking him/herself in.
your elder from locking him/herself in.
• If anything in the home is broken (window,
stove, floor tile, door lock, etc.), fix or discard it.
stove, floor tile, door lock, etc.), fix or discard it.
• All appliances, lamps, and cords should be in
good condition.
good condition.
• If there are any exposed light bulbs, cover them with a shade or globe to reduce glare.
• Use light bulbs of the maximum wattage
allowed by the fixture. If you don’t know the correct wattage, use 60-watt bulbs.
allowed by the fixture. If you don’t know the correct wattage, use 60-watt bulbs.
• Have an electrician check the fuse box or
circuit breakers to ensure that the house is wired properly.
circuit breakers to ensure that the house is wired properly.
• Protect your elder from electrical overload with ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs). GFCIs
are especially important in the kitchen and bathroom.
are especially important in the kitchen and bathroom.
• Be certain that no outlets or switches are unusually warm to the touch. If they are, stop using the outlet immediately, and call an electrician to check the wiring.
• Make sure all outlets and switches have cover plates.
• Replace any electrical cords showing signs of wear and tear.
• Cords should be placed away from high traffic areas, and out from underneath furniture and
rugs (this is a fire hazard). Never run cords across walkways.
rugs (this is a fire hazard). Never run cords across walkways.
• Do not attach cords to the wall or baseboards
with nails or staples. Use electrical tape instead.
with nails or staples. Use electrical tape instead.
• Make sure smoke detectors are located
throughout the home, and are in perfect working condition.
Check the batteries at least twice a year.
throughout the home, and are in perfect working condition.
Check the batteries at least twice a year.
• Install radon and carbon monoxide detectors.
• Remove all poisons from the home.
• Close all rodent holes, and hire an exterminator
if needed.
if needed.
• Windows should open easily from the inside,
with secure locks to prevent entrance from the outside.
with secure locks to prevent entrance from the outside.
• Put eye-level decals or reflector tape on glass
and screen doors.
and screen doors.
• Make sure the home thermostat is not set too
high or too low, especially in summer heat and
winter cold.
high or too low, especially in summer heat and
winter cold.
• Replace air filters often. Dirty filters will release
dust and dirt particles into the air, which can adversely affect your elder’s health.
dust and dirt particles into the air, which can adversely affect your elder’s health.
• Do not allow others to smoke in the house.
• Remove all clutter: if something does not serve a purpose, get rid of it.
