Senior Care in Newport Beach CA
January is Bath Safety Month. Each year millions of elderly adults suffer from severe injuries after falling, and many of these occur in the bathroom. The nature of the activities performed in the bathroom as well as the room itself make your senior loved one vulnerable to slips, falls, burns, and other injuries. By taking simple steps to keep your aging parent safer in the bathroom you can support more independence, reduce risk, and prevent potentially devastating consequences that can negatively impact their well-being into the future.
Use these tips to help keep your aging parent safer during Bath Safety Month and throughout the rest of the year:
- Keep the heat down. Scalding is a serious risk for elderly adults. They may not be able to perceive temperature as well as younger people, which means that they might step into a bath or shower that is extremely hot, putting them at risk of scalds. Even if they do not feel the pain, these scalds create serious skin damage that can lead to a variety of complications, even infections. Adjust their water heater so that the maximum heat is 120 degrees. This ensures that the water is hot enough to prevent the growth of bacteria, mold, and mildew, but is not hot enough to cause severe injuries.
- Be there to supervise. Even if your aging parent does not want or need you to physically assist with their bathing, it is important for you to be there to supervise. Simply being there, even if you are sitting talking with them, will ensure that you can be there to help if they need it or respond if an emergency arises.
- Increase the lighting. Trying to use the restroom in the dark is frustrating, but for an elderly adult it can be dangerous. Inadequate lighting can make it difficult for them to navigate the bathroom, safely sit and stand from the toilet, and even handle tasks such as washing their hands. Even if the lights are on and the shower area is shadowy, this can make it difficult for your parent to bathe safely. Add extra lighting to the room or ensure that you are using strong enough lightbulbs to provide adequate light for all necessary tasks.
- Add slip-resistant stickers. Slipping in the shower or bath can be extremely dangerous for an elderly adult. Even something as simple as stepping into the shower or reaching for a washcloth can cause your parent to fall, potentially causing severe injury. Slip-resistant stickers provide friction that help keep your parent more secure throughout the bathing process.
If you are concerned about your aging parent’s safety or have noticed challenges, issues, and limitations that make you worry about their ability to live independently safely, healthily, and comfortably, now may be the ideal time for you to consider senior care for them. A senior home care services provider can be with your aging parent on a customized schedule to ensure that they get everything that they need to maintain their quality of life throughout their later years. When it comes to helping to keep them stay safer in their bathroom, this senior care provider can provide respectful, nurturing, and compassionate services tailored to helping them manage their personal needs in a way that supports independence and prevents accidents and injuries. This not only guards their physical safety and comfort, but also helps to relieve stress and support better mental and emotional health and well-being as they age in place. As their family caregiver, this can help you to feel more confident knowing that even if you have physical or emotional limitations to helping them with these tasks, they will still have the care, support, and assistance that they need.
If you or an aging loved one are considering senior care in Newport Beach, CA, please contact the caring staff at Canaan Home Care today! 1-844-CANAAN-1 (1-844-226-2261)
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