Living far away from an elderly loved one can cause you to be concerned for their welfare. You may be worried about your mother living alone as she’s aging. You want to do what you can for her, but at times you feel helpless. There are some things that you can do to improve the quality of life that she enjoys at home as well as to make sure that she’s safe. Follow some of these senior home safety tips and you can make a positive difference in your mother’s life while she’s living alone hundreds, or thousands, of miles away from you.
Have grab bars installed in the bathroom.
You will want to talk to her before you hire someone to go into her home and make any changes, but as people age, their muscle tone decreases and when they don’t have the same level of strength, it can make the simple act of showering or bathing a bit more dangerous.
Grab bars should be installed in the shower stall or tub surround, and they could also be useful when added near the toilet. These should be installed professionally by a contractor who knows what he’s doing, and who has done this before. These bars need to be attached to the wall studs and not just into the sheetrock or wallboard that could rip out if your mother lost her balance and grabbed onto them.
Smoke detectors.
Make sure that your mother not only has smoke detectors in her home but that they have fresh batteries and are working properly. Far too many smoke detectors in homes today are either disabled or not functional and that can pose a serious threat in case a fire breaks out.
Carbon monoxide detectors.
Just like with smoke detectors, these carbon monoxide detectors can be life savers. Make sure that your mother has at least one at home and that it’s working.
An elevated toilet.
When your mother is aging and her legs are getting weaker, it can make the simple act of getting on and off the toilet harder. A toilet that is too low with increase the risk of falling and getting hurt. Have a contractor or plumber install a raised toilet. This is higher than traditional toilets and can provide an easier position for your mother to reach.
You can still do a lot for your mother with regard to senior home safety, even when you live too far away.
