When a goal is to age at home, you need to balance your parents’ need for independence with their well-being and safety. One way to do this is by making sure their home is safe and organized. Senior-proofing their home is important and should include these measures. 
 
Make the Bathroom Safe for Changing Mobility 
 
If you can only afford minor changes in the bathroom, focus on grab bars. Grab bars provide support while your parents climb in and out of the tub/shower or stand up or sit down at the toilet. When the tile or linoleum floors are wet and make it slippery, grab bars help out. 
 
Bright Lighting 
 
Dim lighting on front steps, deck/patio areas, or in entryways may lead to falls. If your parents can’t see obstacles or steps, the risk of a fall is greater. Install brighter LED bulbs or have an electrician swap out older light fixtures in an entrance for LED track lighting. 
 
With track lighting, you can position the different lights in different areas. That ensures every corner of an entry is illuminated. In hallways, put in motion-sensing night lights. If your mom or dad walks to the bathroom or kitchen in the middle of the night, the night light will illuminate the floor. 
 
Fix Broken Rails and Flooring 
 
Check rails on stairs both inside and outside the house. If a rail is loose, secure it to the wall studs or deck post. You might want to add a rail to a long, narrow hallway. While you’re fixing rails outside, check deck steps and planks for security and rot. If there are any cracked or loose planks, replace them. 
 
Inside, look at carpeting and make sure nothing is loose or curling up. If it is, get some carpet tape or glue and secure it. Decorative rugs should be removed to prevent your parent from stepping on it and slipping. Any decorative rug that’s curling up on an edge needs to be removed to avoid tripping. 
 
Install Cabinet Locks 
 
When a parent has dementia, cleaning items and medications need to go into a locking cabinet. You don’t want your dad thinking a bottle of cleaner is cooking oil. You don’t want your mom having access to medications that could lead to an overdose. 

 
You should consider adding security locks to knife drawers, medicine cabinets, and door to the garage. That keeps your parent from accessing items and products that could cause harm. 
 
Should your parents be alone all day? Would elderly care services help them age at home and give you peace of mind? Make arrangements for services like companionship, transportation, meals, and cleaning by calling an elderly care agency. 

If you or an aging loved-one is considering Elderly Care in Dallas, TX, please contact the caring staff at Sunlife Home Care today at (877) 888-1311.