Aging In Place
Courtesy Chinchuba Trace Townhomes / Peace Enterprises, Northshore LIVING WELL Magazine
We all enjoy the comforts of home and want to remain there as long as we choose. Studies show that people are healthier and happier when at home as compared to being in a facility. Safe home options today include home health, caregiver assistance, and home nursing and physicians. Additionally, there is a wide array of home medical equipment available.
Here are some simple steps to follow to make sure your home is safe:
- Remove clutter, especially from floors, hallways, and stairwells.
- Replace dim or burned out lights with bright, soft white light bulbs.
- Remove throw rugs.
- Use a night light.
- Ensure porches, entrances, and garages are well lit.
- Use grab bars in the bathroom around slippery floors.
- Place non-skid adhesive strips in the tub.
There are also other options to adapt your home environment to your own changing physical needs:
- Stair lifts are a great benefit if you have difficulty getting up and down your stairs. They provide a safe option to access and carry that laundry to the basement or get to your bedroom. You don’t have to move to a single story house.
- Seat lift chairs make getting up and getting down easier and less painful for you. Slowly ease down into the chair and stand back up without pain in your joints or back. Your family will also love them because they won’t strain their back when helping to lift you to a standing position. They are also really comfortable and will blend right in with your other furniture!
- Bath lifts make enjoying a soak in the tub safe again by slowly lowering you into and out of the water.
- Many other products are available. All of these items are easily operated by you and will help you maintain your independence.
There are many community resources readily available to assist you in determining what works best for your personal situation. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure so don’t delay in making your home a safe place for you to stay for years to come.
Peace Enterprises is a home building company specializing in new construction of handicapped
accessible one-story luxury townhomes in the Hub of Mandeville. We can custom design your new townhome for your particular needs. See adjacent advertisement for all the details or call Greg Peace at 985-966-7777 to view blueprints.
