Stairs may never have been a problem for your senior in the past, but as her mobility changes, so too can her experiences with stairs. These are some of the best ways you can make sure that your elderly family member is as safe as possible on the stairs in her home.
Check out the Handrail Situation
Handrails need to be installed at the right height for your senior to use comfortably. They also need to be properly anchored into the wall in case she needs to put her full weight onto the bar. It’s also a good idea to make sure there are handrails on both sides of the stairway if that’s possible. Make sure you check the handrails now and then to see that they’re still secure and solid.
Get Those Stairs Lit Well
Lighting matters so much more for your senior than you might realize. Even she might not realize that her vision has faded a bit. Low vision requires brighter lighting so that your senior can make out the edges of the stairs and any obstacles. Replace overhead lighting with LED bulbs, if you haven’t already. You might also want to put motion-sensors in so that the lights turn on automatically.
Remove Hazards, Like Clutter
The other big danger on the stairs, beyond the treads being in bad shape, is any sort of clutter or obstacle. This creates something your senior needs to dodge and that isn’t what you want her doing. If your senior has a habit of leaving things on or around the stairs, you’re going to need to get militant about patrolling these areas a few times a day.
Investigate a Stair Lift
One solution that most caregivers don’t think about because of the expense is a stair lift. These are chairs hooked up to a track. Your senior sits in the chair, secures herself with a belt, and with a push of a button rides up or down the stairs. They’re an excellent solution and they can be worth the price. Investigate different options and determine if their payment plans might work for your situation.
Your senior may not share your concern for the stairs. This can be especially true if she’s lived there for a long time. Having elderly care providers available when you’re not there can help to ensure that she’s as safe as possible. They can support her physically on the stairs and even get things for her so that she doesn’t need to be on the stairs at all.
If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring a Caregiver in Scotch Plains, NJ, call the caring staff at Helping Hands Home Care today at 908-418-4299. Providing Home Care Services in all of Northern and Central NJ, including Clark, Westfield, Cranford, Scotch Plains, Rahway, Linden, Summit, Edison, Elizabeth, Mountainside and the surrounding areas.
After graduating from Seton Hall University with a BS in finance Helping Hands Homecare’s Owner / President, Robert D’Arienzo, went to work on Wall St. for six years. However, after Robert’s grandmother became ill with stomach cancer Robert and his family needed to find assistance in the home for her. After many trials and tribulations Robert could see that there was a great need for quality home care services here in NJ and loved the idea of being able to assist other families who were going through what his family went through with his beloved grandmother.
Thus, Robert had found his passion. After almost a year of preparation Robert opened Helping Hands Homecare in 2003. Robert wanted Helping Hands Homecare to focus on providing the highest quality of caregivers, exceptional customer service, and providing a service that familys could depend on in their time of need. Since then Helping Hands has assisted hundreds of individuals with the simplest of needs to more complex cases while preserving those standards set out many years ago.
Robert is a Google Verified Author
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