Your home may be your castle, but it could feel more like a prison in the event of a fall or accident. The best way to feel relaxed at home is to be proactive and check your surroundings are safe. Being alert to potential risks at home and knowing what to do in a medical emergency will ensure your preparedness and reduce your stress.
Fortunately, numerous home safety tips can help prevent your nearest and dearest from getting that awful call from a paramedic in the middle of the night. From building an emergency contacts list to investigating whether a medical alert system for emergencies is needed, we can help you get peace of mind with an incident response plan.
Many seniors spend a lot of time in their homes, and without careful consideration, this safe haven can become a death trap. A slippery bathroom floor after a shower may literally be your downfall. Dangers lurk in everyday objects, like a cable tangled around your feet or the stool sliding as you reach for the top cabinet. A fall in later life can result in a serious decline in mobility and health.
It may be worth undertaking a home safety assessment with a friend or family member to scour your home for potential hazards. You can then create an emergency preparedness checklist (that should be consulted regularly) to verify that your house is as safe as possible.
Potential risks and their solutions:
In addition to having your emergency contacts stored in your cell phone, it’s worth having them written down. This list should be easily accessible around your home: on the fridge, next to all landline phones, and by your bed. But who do you contact in an emergency?
Ideally, choose friends or family nearby over those you feel close to but who live far away. While your daughter on the other side of the country needs to know you’ve gone to the hospital, she won’t be able to help as much as your neighbor.
Don’t forget to list names, numbers, and your relationship to the person. Decide on one key point of contact to reduce the need for numerous calls in an emergency. This person can be responsible for keeping everyone important to you updated.
Your primary and specialist doctors and drugstore should be included. It is vital to ensure easy access to a list of any medical conditions, medications, and allergies.
Hopefully this is a last resort, but easy access to the numbers of the nearest hospital, police, or fire department is essential. Often, this is 911, but some areas may offer alternatives. Any necessary instructions must be easily found by any visiting emergency services.
It’s important to create a clear and actionable emergency response plan, which includes an evacuation plan appropriate for seniors. Whether you’re escaping an intruder or a fire, you need to designate a clear, safe route away from danger.
Most rooms should have at least two exits that are easy to navigate and free of obstacles. If you have reduced mobility or vision, these routes must be simple to manage. Plus, any essential equipment, like walkers, should be within easy reach.
Your contact list and evacuation routes should be checked regularly to ensure they remain accessible and up to date.
An emergency doesn’t only mean you’ve suffered an accident in your home. In a world of forest fires, flooding, snowstorms, and other catastrophes, having medical supplies for emergencies at home is essential.
These supplies should be replaced regularly and checked to ensure they have not expired or become ineffective. They also need to include first aid essentials in case of any situations where the emergency services can’t get to you quickly.
☐ Adhesive bandages, sterile gauze, and tape.
☐ Antiseptic or disinfectant solution.
☐ Thermometer.
☐ Instant cold packs for any sprains or swelling.
☐ Pain relief, such as Ibuprofen.
☐ A week’s supply of any prescribed medication.
☐ Power banks for charging a phone or medical device in case of a power cut.
☐ Flashlights, lamps, and batteries.
☐ A portable generator or autonomous electric heater (if you live somewhere cold).
☐ Food that doesn’t require cooking.
☐ A week’s worth of water (2.5 gallons).
In many situations, time is of the essence in getting the help you need after an accident, and nothing competes with the speed and efficiency of medical alert systems.
With their 24/7 emergency monitoring systems, no time is wasted. Whether it’s through the push of a button on a bathroom wall, a pendant, or a sleek smartwatch, contact is instantaneous, and help can be sent immediately.
Many medical alert devices offer fall detection technology, which senses when you collapse and triggers a call from your care team. If no one answers, help is sent, meaning those stories of people lying undiscovered on the floor for 10 hours belong only in nightmares.
Plus, if you get lost or suffer from a neurological condition like dementia, GPS tracking means your carer or family member can easily find you. Many services also offer a lockbox, meaning the emergency services don’t need to break down your door to reach you.
Furthermore, if you thought these devices had to be clunky and unattractive, think again, as many companies offer sleek and discreet smartwatches or decorative pendants.
Preparation is the key to a good night’s sleep. Regular training for a medical emergency may feel morbid at first, but it means that neither you nor your loved ones will have to second-guess what to do if a situation arises.
You could even make it fun with some play-acting, imitating an accident or fire and going through the steps of what happens next. Injecting humor will lighten the mood and make the emergency drill fun while educating all close friends and family about the household emergency plan practice.
You may want to call that tall family member again when it’s time to double-check everything! Your emergency plans and supplies need to be reviewed regularly, but that’s not all. As with any home safety maintenance, fire extinguishers’ expiry dates should be checked, and smoke and CO2 detectors should have their batteries tested.
Most medical alert systems let you complete regular tests of their service, which is needed for peace of mind.
Also, keep in mind that your mobility may have deteriorated over time and the contact information of your primary emergency contacts may have changed. If so, updating emergency plans and adapting your home is key.
Following these emergency preparedness tips can ensure you and your loved ones sleep easy at night, knowing everything is in place for a worst-case scenario.
Burying your head in the sand that you’re aging may be the easy option, but it isn’t wise. Preparation feeds confidence, and with age, confidence is crucial. Your home needs to be safe so it can remain your sanctuary, and this involves implementing emergency safety solutions. You need to know what to do if something terrible happens, like a fall.
While it’s important to prepare your home for emergencies and ensure you have a sufficient supply of food and medicine, nothing compares to knowing you have immediate access to help.
The list of medical alert system benefits is long, and it shows that having assistance with one push of a button is hugely reassuring. To discover more about the wide variety of options and numerous features of medical alert devices, feel free to browse our reviews and guides.
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