If you have elderly loved ones that you enjoy having visit you at your home, there are some things you should know about ensuring that your home is a safe place for them to spend time. While most of these changes are small, they can make a big difference for those in your life.
To help you learn just what these things are, here are three ways to make your home comfortable for elderly loved ones when they visit.
Prevent Trips and Falls
One of the most important ways that you can protect your elderly loved ones when they visit at your home is to reduce all chances of them having to deal with a slip, trip, or fall.
To do this, try walking in and around your house with an eye toward anything that might potentially trip up your loved one. In some instances, this could be a rug that curls up a bit. In other situations, you may need to keep your pets in a different room so they don’t get underfoot. But by taking steps to move these obstacles out of the way, you’ll be helping your loved one have an easier time moving around your home.
Make Transfers Easier
Depending on how long your elderly loved one is planning on spending at your home, you might need to make some adjustments so that transferring from one place or one height becomes easier for them.
Think about places your loved one might move from a sitting or lying position to a standing position. At these places in your home, like at the couch, toilet, and bed, you may want to add tools to make transfers easier. This could include things like extra pillows, grab bars, or even just something or someone sturdy to grab onto.
Plan Activities Everyone Can Enjoy
If you and your elderly loved one are at different stages of life, you might be wondering what you can do together when they come to visit you. While you might enjoy very active activities, your elderly loved one might not be able to keep up.
To deal with this, try to plan activities that each of you can enjoy together. Things like watching old movies with the subtitles on, playing games together, making a craft, going for a short walk, or cooking together can be great options. Just make sure that whatever you plan to do together, you’re on the lookout for signs that your elderly loved one might be uncomfortable or want to switch things up for their own health and safety.
If you’re planning on having some of your elderly loved one visit you at home, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you learn how to make them comfortable in your space.
Leave a Reply