Household accidents, some that are fatal, happen more than many people realize. After all, we’re used to our homes and we have furnishings like full size mattresses to make us comfortable. You have to remind kids not to jump on the beds so that they do not have an accident. This is an outstanding example because that never crosses our minds, but if they hit their head, you’ll soon have a painful reminder. A bruise or scrape is not much more than an inconvenience, but to those with health conditions like diabetes, it could end their lives.
Let’s look at the top five home accidents and how to prevent them.
Falls on Stairs
A fall down a flight of stairs is one of the most common. Most of the time it doesn’t end up well, but the good news is we can prevent these falls. The most obvious cause is kid’s toys or any object, even a decorative one on the stairs or landings. Make a habit of clearing that off daily and inspecting before walking on them, also taking control over where kids can lay toys is a life-saving boundary.
The state of the staircase is also important. Any small chip out of the end of a stair or dimple in the stair top where your foot lands can be deadly. You may think you can recover from a brief trip or twist on an ankle, but once momentum has begun, it’s an out of control downhill ride from there.
Slips and Falls
This is another one that most people take for granted. Slipping and falling on tile or slick wood or stone flooring is common. An older person should never have either style floor running through the major traffic areas of the house. An order of renovation carpet or carpet tile should replace that if they are to stay in their home. Never give them throw rugs even with the rubber grip material underneath. They are still moveable and if they hit a wrinkle, they’ll go flying.
This is true for anyone on a tile, wood, or any slick surface and throw rugs. Be sure to take extreme caution after mopping a floor. Our suggestion is to vacuum and then dry mop and note any damp spot mopping you do. Don’t do the entire floor because you’ll forget and step wrong. A wet mopped floor is like black ice and you won’t see that one small last spot.
Fire Safety and Burns
For fire safety, there’s the obvious—smoke alarms, but many forget to have a properly working fire extinguisher ready for any small fire. They happen in the kitchen most often, and if you’re not able to put it out, you could lose your kitchen or your home by the time fire rescue arrives.
Another way to get a serious burn is in the shower or bath. The water heater should be below 120 degrees Fahrenheit. If you have children or the elderly, then having a governed faucet that only allows you to turn it up to a limited degree should be installed in the bathroom they use. It can adjust later with a pin or nob when no longer needed. This is great for guest baths too. You don’t want visitors scalding themselves and then having to make a claim on your home insurance.
Drowning
Yes, it’s a thing and it’s common. Whether or not you have kids, make sure they fence your pool or jacuzzi in. Here’s why. Neighborhood kids may enter your property accidentally and fall in the pool. Adults with memory issues or anyone that slips or trips and hits their head could fall in and drown. They can be there unconscious hours before you find them.
Poisoning
This can happen most with children, but did you know that it’s common for elderly people with either memory issues or lack of sufficient sight to accidentally poison themselves? There could be a misunderstanding with a bottle they think is a vitamin or a medication. To prevent poisoning in kids and adults, make sure the hazards are in child-proof locks on all cabinets containing them. Simply storing them in a high space has been known to fail with both kids and others. Kids are like flexible little acrobats and when curiosity comes calling for where mom hid the cookies, they can find more than they bargained for.
Make a checklist today, it could save a life. You want your home to be a safe haven at all times!
For ways you can prevent accidents for seniors at home, please see the tips below.
Provided by McKay Vassaur – expert home builder in Temple TX
