What should you be looking for as you visit a senior in their home?
There are certain red flags that you should observe and note when you're doing wellness visits for someone who is aging at home. Many of them have to do with the maintenance of the property. It's hard for anyone to maintain a property, even a set of working adults in their prime. It's yet another thing for an isolated elderly person to be trying to keep a property in safe and serviceable condition!
Visitors can keep an eye out for some of the warning signs that indicate professionals need to be called to help handle maintenance of the home.
Water Issues
You might spy water damage on a wall, or a loose faucet with water continually running into a sink. Or a broken toilet.
Any of these can become quite a major problem without correct and proper intervention.
The stray water can cause things like mold and mildew, and basically make a property unlivable over time, so you want to catch them early and correct them.
Bare Wires
Any time you have compromised electrical systems or appliances, there's a danger to this elderly person who is often living alone. He or she can come into contact with electricity and get injured. Look for bare wires and be sure these types of problems are quickly dealt with.
Loose Floor and Stair Areas
In so many cases, a loose floor stair issue starts small and gets worse over time.
If it's a traditional carpentry installation, there may be a nail or screw loose that leads to an uneven or canted surface.
For linoleum, this often happens when the edge of a piece of flooring crimps up and curls up over time.
These are the things to keep in mind for seniors, whether they are walking with assistive devices or getting around in a wheelchair.
Obstacles
Anything can become an obstacle inside or outside of the home.
Large downed branches are one of the best examples for exterior obstacles. Interior obstacles often involve items that have fallen and could not be picked up. Again, you are also looking for deterioration of interior materials in a home.
It only takes a few minutes to do a quick walk around, but that few minutes could save a life. Visitors should make this a common practice to just briefly look around the property and make any notes necessary. All of this helps everyone to keep someone who is aging at home in safe environments and safe care. Talk to us about the logistics of caring for a senior at home, with effective visit care that is based on best practices and the highest standards promoted by states and other agencies. We’re here for your family!
