6 Smart Home Ideas for Keeping Seniors Safe

With the cost of nursing homes and assisted living facilities on the rise, some families choose to have an aging parent or grandparent living with them. Another current trend is that a lot of seniors live on their own. In part, that’s due to the many government programs that give the aging population more support to live independently longer.

To seniors, staying in their homes brings them a great deal of peace. However, it also raises concerns among family members and friends. After all, the risk for falls, slips, and other accidents increases with age. If you have an aging loved one and you worry about their safety at home, you’ll appreciate the information provided.

The tips listed below are what ensures the safety of seniors at home in most cases.

1. Install a Security System 

One way to feel better about a senior you love living independently is to have a security system installed. This is a great option for many reasons. For one thing, you can choose from a broad range of systems. Depending on the situation and specific concerns, you can have both the interior and exterior of the house covered.

Also, the security systems on the market today are not just more advanced but also more affordable. If preferred, you can add on 24x7 monitoring. With that, a highly trained professional keeps an eye on the house. A system like that is ideal for seniors. If a problem arises, a representative from the call center sends the appropriate first responders.

2. Personal Security Alert

You’ve probably seen the old commercial where an elderly person is on the floor saying, “Help, I fell, and I can’t get up.” Well, this is the reality for a lot of senior citizens. So, if your loved one has experienced a few falls, you can always opt for a personal security alert system.

Typically, this includes a small device worn around the neck or somewhere on the person. If they fall or have any other concern about personal safety, they can summon help with the press of a button.

3. Talk to Trusted Neighbors

If you work outside of the home, which means leaving your loved one there alone, it never hurts to let your trusted neighbors know. That way, they can keep an eye out for anything that appears out of the ordinary. 

4. Contact Information

With age, a lot of people become forgetful. So, keep a list of contact information in several places around the house. With that, include the home address. If your loved one becomes confused, they’ll have everything they need in writing.

5. Change the Flooring 

If your home currently has slippery floors, you might want to invest in a different flooring. On the other hand, if the current floors are okay, you can always apply nonslip wax to the surface.

On this same topic, remove any throw rugs around the house. These can easily cause an elderly person to slip and fall. This is especially a problem for anyone who depends on crutches, a walker, or a cane.

6.  Do It Yourself Home Security Camera

Installing a camera such as a Ring or other devices such as SimpliSafe, Abode and many others.  These devices are affordable and can connect to your cellphone so that you can monitor your senior loved one.  Because you install them yourself they are obviously 24/7 and you can check at your convenience.  They can also connect to multiple devices so that the whole family can be part of the monitoring system, to help keep your eye on your loved one.  Senior citizens can install these themselves as well.  Today baby boomers are online and on smartphones more often than we think.   Pew Research Center data from 2019 shows that the majority of baby boomers now own a smartphone (68 percent,) and 11 percent of them use their phone as the primary way to go online. They also use social media—especially Facebook, where they've doubled their usage since 2015.  36% of baby boomers say they are comfortable using new technology. This increases year over year.  - The nice thing about these security systems are many of the come with a wired or wireless option.  Wireless options literally install within about 15 minutes and are easily chargeable. 

Additional Considerations

Apart from the tips listed above, you might want to consider two additional things.

For very little money, you can buy adhesive strips for the inside of the bathtub and shower. These are also available for steps. The best option is for your loved one to live on a single level and to not bathe or shower unless someone’s home. However, seniors are often strong-willed so, that’s not always realistic.

Most people who have an aging parent or grandparent living with them never give the door handles a second thought. However, seniors often find these difficult to open, in particular, if they suffer from arthritis. In this case, you can replace the traditional round knobs with lever handles.