Furniture straps and senior hazards

The phrase “accidents just happen” is no excuse to be unprepared and to not make simple changes that could greatly improve a senior’s safety in his home.

The most common hazards that can be found in a senior’s home are in the kitchen and in the bathroom, but the rest of the house needs inspecting too.

Start by installing brighter lighting to make sure everything is always in clear sight. Then make sure you remove, or tack down, all scatter rugs, as well as making sure electrical or telephone cords aren’t in traffic areas of the house where they can be easily missed and tripped over. Same thing goes for other items such as, for example, shoes.

Keep objects that you use the most in drawers or cabinets that are the easiest to reach, so you don’t need to stretch too much to get everyday items. Rethinking the arrangement of your storage shelves may seem like a difficult task if you are used to using a lot of things and everything seems important. In this case consider the idea of having furniture straps installed on both tall and heavy furniture, or on whatever other furniture you consider at risk. Furniture straps avoid tipping hazards, which can easily occur when your are trying to reach something in a high position: you loose your balance and either the object you were reaching for falls on top of you, or, while falling, you instinctively hold on to the furniture, bringing it down with you.

Furniture straps can greatly minimize the risk of tipping hazards, and make you feel more secure about walking around your home.

With the right guidance and adjustments, common household accidents ARE PREVENTABLE and it is possible for seniors to age safely while remaining in the comfort of their own home.

Contact a Senior Safe Homes safety professional for a full run through of your home and to learn more about furniture straps, grab bars, fire detectors, temporary and portable wheelchair ramps, and specialized locks and alarms.

Call 888.481.7233