Safe at Home Week

Did you know that more serious injuries typically occur at home than at work? This week is National Safe at Home Week it occurs the last week in August each year (August 23-27, 2010). The week is designed to promote and emphasize safety in and around the home to eliminate senseless home-related injuries.

According to The State of Home Safety in America™ (2004) conducted by the Home Safety Council, falls are by far the leading cause of unintentional home injury death. Falls account for an average of 5.1 million injuries and nearly 6,000 deaths each year.

At Interim HealthCare, the safety of our seniors is our number one priority whether we’re engaged in in-home care or in one of our assisted living facilities. In honor of National Safe at Home Week, here are some helpful tips to identify and remedy potential hazards. 

1. Walk through your home and spot what could be a potential problem. There is no better way to avoid an accident than by implementing a little preventive medicine.
2. Have lights and light switches installed at the top and bottom of stairs.
3. Tape small rugs to the floor or remove them completely.
4. Keep walkways clear of misplaced or miscellaneous objects
5. Install handrails on outside and inside stairs
6. Nightlights are inexpensive and invaluable in contributing to visibility, especially in dark hallways, bathrooms or bedrooms.
7. Have vision and hearing tested regularly and corrected.
8. Clean up any spills right away.
9. Avoid wearing socks, smooth soled shoes or slippers on stairs, wood or waxed floors.
10. Pay attention to where you are going. Always better to walk than run.