Help patients make their homes user-friendly
Help patients make their homes user-friendly
Simple changes prevent common accidents
By Betty T. Dixon RN, BSN
Home Care Consultant
Medical Management Development and Associates
Savannah, GA
According to the Advance Data reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/National Center of Health Statistics, the typical home patient is 75 to 84 years old and living independently in a home. Patients usually belong to one of two broad categories: those who need services for a short interval of time, such as postoperative recovery and those who require services for a more extended period of time.
For those in the first category, few have had the need to make adjustments to their home. Patients assumed they would always be able to navigate the bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen without difficulty. However, their illnesses or surgeries can change normal daily patterns and habits. Those in the second category may have made modifications through the years and their homes have remained safe havens.
As a private duty home care provider, your agency is in an excellent position to assist either type of patient adjust to this new stage. Patients need to be aware of what can be done to make their homes more user-friendly, even if the stage is temporary. The recommendations listed below will help you help your patients achieve a level of comfort and independence while homebound.
Home safety guide
• Bathroom.
1. Difficulty getting into and out of the tub or shower.
Install a grab bar. This should be done by a professional and attached to structural supports in wall. Before installing, consider the person using it. Consider what their comfortable range of reach is. Will they lean, push, or pull on the bar? Is the person right- or left-handed? DME professionals report that grab bars attached over the tub are the most frequently installed type of grab bars.
Encourage use of nonskid bath mats or attach strips to the tub floor to reduce falling. Even though older skin becomes drier, avoid bath oils or creams while in the bathroom to prevent falls.
2. Difficulty bathing or shampooing.
An inexpensive alternative is soap on a rope or a hand mitt that contains soap. Also consider a portable, handheld shower.
3. Difficulty getting on and off the toilet.
If this is temporary, a raised toilet seat with rear-locking brackets is one of the least expensive alternatives. However, if this is a lifestyle change, grab bars attached to supports in the walls may be necessary.
Put items normally stored on top of the toilet tank in a basket to keep them from accidentally falling in the toilet bowl.
• Bedroom.
1. Cannot turn off light from bed.
Every situation is different, but alternatives can include moving the bed closer to switch or putting a lamp near the bed. A remote control switch approved by Underwriters’ Laboratory can be used or consider a lamp converter that can switch the lamp on and off by touching the base. There are also noise sensitive light fixtures that turn on when you enter a room or clap.
2. Unlit pathway between bed and bathroom.
A night light with a sensor plugged in to an electric outlet works well. It will automatically come on at dusk and turn off at daylight. If the bathroom is several feet from the bedroom, consider night lights at both ends of the hallway.
3. Difficulty reaching the telephone from the bed.
Put a phone on the bedside table if there is a phone jack in the bedroom. Several older homes have jacks only in the kitchen or den area. If this is the case, a portable cordless phone that can be moved from room to room may be the less expensive option. Make sure the phone has a noise function or some other locator when it is misplaced.
• Kitchen.
1. Cooking.
A dry washcloth can be used to increase grip on the stove or oven knobs. A washcloth is preferred to a dish towel because it will not hang down as far and catch on fire. Similarly, caution your patients to wear only close-fitting sleeves when cooking. If their bathrobes or other garments have loose sleeves, instruct them to roll the sleeves back or fasten them with pins while cooking. Patients should use a timer to remind them that they are cooking; they should stay beside the stove and not leave cooking food unattended. If this is a life style change, outfit appliances with automatic shut-off features.
• Product resources.
Listed below are sources for special appliances and products:
Comfortably Yours
(201) 368-0400.
The Arthritis Foundation
(404) 872-7100.
Sears, Roebuck and Company
(800) 948-8800.
• Home repairs/modification funding sources.
Depending upon your location, you may have several options. Many local, state, federal, and volunteer organizations provide special grants, loans, and other assistance to their older citizens for home remodeling, repairs, or modifications.
The Department of Veterans Affairs provides low-interest loans to veterans to modify their homes.
Contact volunteer organizations, such as the YMCA, scouting organizations, or church groups.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development provides direct loans to certain neighborhood development and employment agencies.
The local or state unit on aging or housing agency can assist with housing needs.
The Farmers Home Administration provides loans in rural areas.
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