Keeping Safe at Home

The number one concern of hospital discharge planners is whether a senior can be safe in a home environment. Likewise, any time you are evaluating whether a senior can stay home, safety must be your number one consideration.

Although the physical and mental condition of a senior will frequently dictate whether they can remain home safely, there are a number of steps family members can take that will improve the odds. First, a home safety evaluation should be performed. This requires completion of a home safety checklist, a copy of which is available at no charge by calling our office, Home Instead Senior Care of Central New Hampshire, 603.668.6868. This checklist addresses obvious things, such as working smoke detectors, but also less obvious things, such as a refrigerator that maintains foods at the correct temperature.

Second, consideration should be made of getting a personal help button. A recent medical study found that Seniors with Lifeline were an amazing 10 times less likely to end up in a nursing home after a fall. This is because very little time is spent on the floor before help arrives. Spending 2, 4 or 24 hours on the floor can be a killer. New England Emergency Response Systems can be reached at 1-800-530-1723. The cost is only $39.00 monthly, with a one-time installation fee. They are located in Dover, NH. Another option is Dartmouth-Hitchcock Lifeline Program, they can be reached at 1-888-699-4034

Third, an evaluation should be made of physical access. This will depend on the mobility of the senior. There are a number of companies that can assist with outdoor and indoor ramps. For Residential Elevators, Vertical Wheelchair Lifts, Modular Ramps and Stairway Lifts, you can contact All-Ways Accessible with locations in NH, ME & VT! 1-800-725-4387 For outdoor ramps, you can contact AmRamp. 1-888-715-7597 or www.americanramp.com Finally, basic safety equipment should be purchased and installed such as grab bars in bathrooms and safety rails on steps. A good resource for these services is REQ (Rehabilitation Equipment Associates). They are based in Manchester, NH and can be reached at 1-800-483-0048. Another option is HCS (Home Care Specialists). They have locations in Concord and Dover and can be reached at 1-800-698-8113.

The above outline some basic first steps that anyone can take but are not intended to be all inclusive.