The retirement years represent a time for freedom when you can do what you want. Retirement homes are the best option for the elderly as they will get the kind of help and assistance they require. However, safety should also be prioritised during this time.
What is a Retirement Home?
A retirement home, also known as an old people’s home, is a high-quality multi-residence housing facility with individuals in their senior years. It allows the residents to maintain their lifestyles while receiving on-site care and support that they require. There are additional services that they can receive in the building, such as recreation facilities and health or hospital care. Retirement homes are also regarded as safe places as the elderly can receive the assistance that they require. However, they are still at risk for break-ins, falls and injuries, fires and even theft. Therefore, the security measures offered at a retirement home should be considered. Below are some retirement home safety tips that you could make use of.
- Check for Security Cameras
When looking for a retirement home, ensure that it has security cameras. Security cameras are not only helpful in the prevention of crime, but they could assist in keeping seniors safe as they can record activity. For people who have dementia or Alzheimer’s, security cameras are usually installed in areas where they could fall, wander away from the home or suffer a medical emergency.
Ensure that security cameras are installed in common areas such as parking areas, entrances, and any public spaces where the residents are likely to socialise. Having security cameras will also ensure that preventative measures are taken if they are areas where injuries usually occur.
- Visitors should be screened
Before any friends or relatives are given access into the retirement home, they should first be identified before they are granted entry into the facility. Screening should not be limited to residents visitors. It should also still be done for any contractors or service workers to ensure that the safety of the residents and team members is maintained. These screening areas for visitors should be open 24/7 to ensure that any visitor that wants to gain access to the facilities is correctly screened before they are allowed to pass through.
Security gates should be installed to ensure that no one gains unauthorised entry. These security gates should be installed to enclose the community’s building in a manner that allows visitors to enter through one entrance and exit through the other.
- 24/7 Security
Retirement homes should contain security that is available at all times of the day. Security will protect the premises even after the team members that assist the elderly have left the premises for the day. Security guards can be located at the entrances of the building or entrance halls to watch the people that leave and enter the premises. A security monitoring system can also be installed to improve the safety of the premises for residents and team members.
- Medical Alert Systems
A medical alert system was specifically designed to improve the safety of the vulnerable, such as the elderly. Medical alert systems are a preventive solution that can be used when injuries occur or in the event of an emergency occurring. These systems can be worn as either necklaces or bracelets. Whenever the person with the system requires medical assistance, they can push a button to alert the monitoring facility. Once the facility receives the alert, they will contact the person and send the help they require.
The good thing about medical alert systems is that they can be used wherever you are, and they contain a built-in intercom system. This intercom system enables two-way communication, allowing the elderly to communicate to the facility about their emergency and receive the kind of help they need.
- Install Grab Bars
In the home, bathrooms are where injuries occur for the elderly. Therefore grab bars are necessary to prevent these injuries. Grab bars should be positioned by toilets and also in the tub and showers area. Having grab bars not only prevents any injuries that might occur but they also allow the elderly to maintain some form of independence still. Seniors might be afraid to bath and shower to avoid the risk of getting hurt, and these poor hygiene practices can lead to skin problems and skin infections. Grab bars also come in different designs, which are diagonal, horizontal and vertical that accommodate different conditions such as:
- Diagonal bars can be used by people with different heights, and they assist you in sitting and standing in a natural motion. It significantly reduces the chances of slipping while trying to stand up.
- Horizontal bars enable you to rotate your body as they are more sturdy. They are perfect for those people in wheelchairs; however, they have a fixed height limit.
- Vertical bars have easier grip and assist those people with limited balance, such as people with arthritis.
- Secure Doors and Windows
The threat of break-ins occurring for older people is exceptionally high. With most break-ins that happen, the burglars usually gain access using the front door and the first-floor window; therefore, these areas should be secured to have better protection. Security screens can be added to windows, and door locks should be added to all doors. The elderly might forget to lock doors and windows, so smart locks can be an excellent investment in that situation. Smart locks can be controlled remotely with smart home automation. You can also choose the times in the day when doors should be locked and unlocked, which will be able to give you peace of mind.
Conclusion
The home safety tips offered above will provide better safety and protection for the elderly while still allowing them to enjoy a time in their life that represents freedom.
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