When you begin to renovate your home in preparation for your elderly parents to move in with you, there are some safety considerations to take into account. If your parents struggle with their health, have limited mobility, or have been diagnosed with dementia, for example, then you will need to install certain measures to keep them as safe as possible and minimize their risk of slip and fall accidents. Read on to learn about some things to consider while you are renovating your home for your elderly parents.
Keep your pool area safe and secure.
If you have a pool in your backyard, you should already have a fence or a locked pool cage around it to keep it protected from neighbors or other people trying to use it. However, once your parents have moved into your home, you also need to control access to the swimming pool from the inside of your home. Consult with swimming pool companies Tampa FL to determine the best way to keep your swimming pool secured. You may want to add on a pool fence that wraps around the entire pool or install an alarm on the doors that go out to the back of the home so you can be alerted when anyone goes outside.
Along with keeping the pool area safe, you may want to amend the pool design so that your parents can use it if they want to do so. A pool builder can make the pool more handicap-accessible if your parents are in wheelchairs or can’t use steps very well. You can also add on a hot tub and handrails for hydrotherapy, as that can help ease some of their pain if they have arthritis or other ailments. A pool remodel doesn’t have to be costly if you go with professional pool contractors.
Redo your bathroom so they can use the bathtub.
If your parent has limited mobility, then you need to think about how to remodel your bathroom, especially the bathtub and shower area. It is incredibly easy for someone to slip and fall in the bathroom when getting in and out of a regular bathtub, especially if there are no safety features like handrails available. Check out various tub models to determine which one would be best with your space as well as what your parents will need. Walk-in tubs are far safer for older adults than traditional bathtubs are. Read this Safe Step walk in tub guide to learn more about your options.
If possible, keep your parents on the first floor.
If your home is a multi-story home, then you may want to redo it in a way that will allow your parents not to use the steps unless absolutely necessary. Try to keep their room on the same floor as the kitchen, a full bathroom, the living room, and other areas where you and your family may gather. This can make it much easier for them to navigate your home and minimize the risk of them slipping on the stairs, especially if they have mobility issues. It also makes it easier for them to get around if they use wheelchairs or walkers.
Create an outdoor living space for them.
With the coronavirus ravaging the United States, it is harder for older adults to get out and enjoy the weather since their age bracket is considered high-risk for COVID-19 complications. Consider creating an outdoor living space in your backyard where they can go sit and spend time outdoors, soaking up some vital vitamin D while spending time in the sunlight. Studies show that happiness can increase by being outside and that could help them as they deal with the change of moving to your home and leaving their space behind. An outdoor living space could hold a patio, fire pit, outdoor kitchen, seating area, landscape beds, and much more.
