How to Keep Your Ageing Parents Safe at Home

Introduction

As a caregiver, you want to do all you can to keep your ageing parent safe. This includes several things, such as installing new locks and smoke detectors in their home and keeping them well-fed. Still, it also means allowing them to maintain their independence. Making sure they can stay independent is essential to their wellbeing, which is why it's important to keep them safe. If you don't, you'll soon find yourself dealing with someone who stops showering regularly or doesn't cook for themselves, and you may start asking yourself whether you're doing enough to keep them safe. Are things going as planned? This can be difficult to know, given the responsibilities that come with caring for an ageing parent. Here are some tips for looking after your ageing parents.

Schedule Regular Visits

Scheduling regular visits with your ageing parent is a great way to monitor their safety. Make sure you plan regular visits at least once a week, or even more often if you feel it necessary. Visits should fit their timetable, not yours. If your parent is busy in the morning and evening but has time in the afternoon, schedule one or two sessions around lunchtime so they don't feel rushed.

Double-Check Their Medication

If you have an ageing parent who needs regular medical care, you might be worried about whether they are taking their medication properly. Medication errors can lead to serious health problems, so it's important that your loved one takes the correct medication at the right time of day. Make sure they are taking the correct medication and dosage, and consider having them take a medication review with their doctor if they aren't feeling well. It's also worth checking that they're taking their medication around the right times of day, since surprisingly many people forget to take their pills at the correct times, which can lead to severe health problems. If you're not sure what to do, it's worth speaking to their doctor to find out what's happening, especially if your loved one isn't feeling well.

Review Their Groceries

It's also a good idea to check the groceries your loved one is receiving, to make sure they're eating properly. It might seem like a small thing, but if they aren't taking care of their diet, their health could suffer. To make sure your parent's groceries are safe to consume, look for expiration dates on perishable items and make sure they'll stay in good condition for at least five days, or longer if you want to be extra safe. Check non-perishables, such as canned goods, meats, and condiments, for spoilage, and throw out anything that has been damaged. Make sure all product packaging is intact, since the more sanitary the packaging, the less likely anything is to go wrong. Check for insects, rodents, or other signs of contamination, and throw out anything that appears tainted, as well as anything with unusual discolouration, such as pink spots.

Make Sure They Have Insurance

It's essential to make sure your ageing parent has the right insurance. Insurance policies can be tricky, as there are so many options, and they're constantly changing. You may want to talk to an agent who can explain the different policies available and help you compare them by price, coverage, and more. The best thing you can do for your ageing parent is to get them insured while they're younger, since the earlier they get insured, the more time those policies have to accrue cash value that will pay out when it comes time to claim, assuming the policy hasn't already been paid in full. Additionally, if your loved one needs long-term care further down the line, having money set aside for this purpose will make things easier for everyone involved.

Install Home Safety Equipment

Fall prevention is a serious issue for the elderly, and your ageing parent can easily find themselves in danger if they aren't following proper safety precautions. To help your loved one stay safe around the house and avoid potential injuries, it's worth considering some home safety equipment. For peace of mind around the home, a motion-activated alarm could help detect uninvited guests on your loved one's property, while a personal alarm like those provided by Careline365 could allow your ageing parent to request help at the press of a button. Window guards prevent your parent from accidentally falling through open windows by creating barriers that stop them opening wider than four inches, and they're easy to install and maintain, as long as you keep them clean and free of debris. Handrails are available in many styles, heights, and materials, such as plastic, wood, and metal, to help your ageing parent avoid tripping when they're walking around the house, and they can also help keep them safe by giving them something to lean on if they feel unwell. Finally, a good video surveillance system can drastically improve peace of mind, helping to establish the facts if there's an accident, and it may even prove useful if your loved one needs to make an insurance claim.

Help Them Craft a Crisis Plan

It's important to have a plan to help you and your parent manage crises. A crisis plan can help everyone involved in an emergency, and it doesn't need to be a lengthy, complicated document; you can make it as simple as possible. An example crisis plan includes contact information for family members and other caregivers, contact information for medical professionals and emergency services, a list of important medical data such as medications, a medical history covering recent surgeries and existing conditions, contact information for organisations and services that could help in an emergency, and insurance information, including any relevant life insurance policy.

Always Be There for Them

If your ageing parent is unwell, there is no better feeling than knowing you are by their side to help them get back to normal. Your presence provides comfort and a sense of security, and you can be sure your parent is getting the attention they need. If your family member is in hospital, ask the nurses or doctors if there's anything you can do to assist with their care. Your loved one will appreciate it, as they may not have anyone else who can do so.

Consider the Location

Sometimes, you may find that your loved ones would be better off in a new home. If moving does seem to be the best option to keep them safe, it's worth considering a few factors: is there easy access to public transport, will they be near a hospital or GP surgery, are there a variety of shops and food outlets in the area, will their home receive adequate daylight, are there stairs and can your loved one cope with them, and is the property in good condition, meeting all safety requirements? All of these factors are worth weighing up as you, your ageing parent, and your family try to find the best living arrangement possible.

Conclusion

It is crucial to have a plan when it comes to caring for your ageing parent. Making the right decisions about which services are needed will help avoid potential problems in the future. Making sure your parent is cared for, regardless of the situation, is important for making the best choices for them.

Careline365

You can provide additional support for your ageing loved ones by purchasing a Careline365 personal alarm. With a personal alarm, help is arranged at the push of a button, and Careline365 also offers a fall detector plan for added peace of mind. Find out more today and get in touch with our helpful team on 0800 101 3333 to order your Careline365 alarm.