Independent senior living is feasible if you are willing to make adjustments. When keeping elders safe in their own home, often times it requires altering areas of the home or adding products that aid in their daily routine. In every room of the house, there may need to be some kind of tool or product that aids in basic senior living. Naturally everyone’s situation is different and what might work for one person may not work for another. The key to independent and safe senior living is identifying their individual abilities and challenges. Once you do that, you can make adjustments in the home to accommodate those needs. This is just a basic overview of tools that can help some common challenges in daily senior living routines.
Bathroom Products
Bathroom ProductsEmergency Notification Device – These devices are often worn on the around the neck, or more advanced feature far-field voice recognition and can be voice-controlled to contact 911 in an emergency or a fall.
Toilet Seat Risers and Grab Bars – Risers on a toilet seat, elevate the height of the toilet seat to help seniors with joint trouble from sitting at such a low height. The grab bars which should also be used in the shower or tub help prevent falls by giving added stability.
Bath Bench – This is pretty self-explanatory. It is a plastic mildew resistant bench that is placed in the tub for the senior living with mobility issues or trouble standing. It allows them to shower usually in conjunction with a hand-held shower head mentioned below.
Hand-held Shower Head – A handheld shower head helps with showering, especially when using a bath bench as it allows control of the water and can be manipulated without having to move around, rather the shower moves for the person.
Roll In Shower or Enclosed Seated Bath – Also a great product for the senior living with mobility issues are roll in showers which is good for those bound to wheelchairs, or with trouble lifting their legs over a tub. Seated baths are now quite popular and offer a flexible way for seniors to bathe without lying down in a tub, excellent for hot soaks for joint pain.
Bedroom Products
Bed Rails and Steps – Often, beds can sit quite high for seniors and the danger of falling off becomes a greater risk for serious fracture. Using bed steps and easy to adjust bed rails helps by providing easy entry to the bed, and cradles the individual on all sides, preventing falls.
Self-Adjusting Mattresses or Waterbeds – For the senior living with spine issues a self-adjusting mattress helps by relieving pressure in areas where it is needed, and adding support in the spine where support is needed. It uses individual air chambers versus springs, and the air chambers contour to the body. Waterbeds are also popular for aches and pains due to their semi-weightless feel.
Over The Bed Night Tables- Just like in the hospital, these tables conveniently adjust to over the bed height allowing an easily accessible place for medications, water, or reading materials and spectacles.
Kitchen Products
Single Lever Faucets – Especially useful for the senior living with arthritic conditions; this type of faucet handles temperature and force of water without having to turn a knob, which is very hard for arthritic seniors.
Non-Slip Tile Coating – A local flooring finish company can apply a non-slip textured coating on the floor or new tiles that grip the shoe and prevent slip and fall accidents in the kitchen.
Adjustable Height Cabinetry – Cabinets that have height adjustable shelving not only raise up and down but slide out making reaching in the back of a cabinet easier for seniors.
Discovering Independence in Senior Living
Overall the adjustment to safe, independent senior living is a workable one. It just requires proactive thinking and organization. There are many more products you will need to consider such as:
- Adding night lights throughout the home
- Adaptable clothing and shoes (Velcro )
- Medicine Organizer or Alarm equipped dispensers
- Kitchen aids that help with opening cans and jars
- Stair Lifts for multiple story homes
- Entry ramps for mobility challenged seniors
As you can see the list can go on forever, so just make sure you pay attention to the needs of your senior family member and openly discuss options with them to make their life easier. Of course, another great tool is to provide home care services from Comforts of Home. Our services allow your family member to maintain independence while having someone daily to check on them and assist them. Call us today for more information.
