Even though you may have already checked to make sure that your mother’s home is safe and ready for the winter, there are still things that you should do during the winter as well. It’s a good idea, of course, to make sure that the furnace in her home (as long as it’s not an electric heat source) is in good working condition. If you have done so yet, make sure that you have it inspected as soon as possible. These are important senior home safety tips that everyone should think about before and during the winter months.
Make sure that your mother isn’t planning on using an alternative heat source in the event that the power goes out. Some people have a tendency to rely on kerosene and propane heaters, but they can become faulty very easily, especially if they are not cared for properly and they can catch fire of emit carbon monoxide. If your mother or other elderly loved one is planning on using a secondary heat source if they lose power, tell them the dangers involved and instead have them contact the emergency personnel, such as fire department if they can’t reach you and believe that it’s going to be too cold in their home.
Next, you want to make sure that the oil in an oil heating system is full. Don’t let the oil run out during the winter. This is a common thing but it’s also something that should never happen. Check or have your mother check the oil levels every week. This will give you both a good idea about just how much oil is being consumed on a weekly basis, and this will help you calculate when the next delivery should be.
Check smoke and carbon monoxide detectors regularly. Too often, we don’t check these detectors because we take them for granted. However, they are vital to keeping our loved ones safe and sound in their home. Make sure that you check the batteries monthly. You should also start the winter season with fresh, new batteries, rather than relying on the old ones that have been in there for only God knows how long. You can always use the old batteries in other electronic devices.
When it comes to senior home safety, you don’t want to take chances and you don’t want to tempt fate. Check on these things during the winter as well as before the snowy season starts.
