Q. My friend’s mother almost burned her house down the other day by falling asleep with something left cooking on the stove. The kitchen smoke alarm didn’t wake her but luckily her dog barking did. It makes me worried for my own parents as they can be forgetful too and they also have hearing problems.
A. Fire safety, smoke alarms and prevention steps are important for all, but knowing what to do in the event of a fire is particularly important for older adults. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, in 2021, adults over age 65 are twice as likely to suffer injury or die in a fire compared with the general population. This time of year, the use of space heaters and holiday lights can add to risky situations. U.S. fire departments respond to nearly 1,000 home fires started by holiday decorations or Christmas trees each year.
Decreased mobility, cognitive issues, and sight and hearing loss all can limit someone’s ability to respond and take quick actions needed in emergency situations such as a fire. The best plan is to have a plan and put in place necessary safety measures that better ensure someone’s survival in a fire. These include making sure smoke alarms are installed throughout the home, particularly in sleeping areas, and that these are regularly checked to make sure they are in working order. If someone has hearing issues, there are units that also use strobe lights or vibrate with the alarm. Sprinkler systems and small fire extinguishers are also measures that can be put in place.
Work with your loved one to plan and practice two escape routes that are free of obstruction and can be maneuvered by someone using a walker or wheelchair, if necessary. By practicing an escape plan, someone with vision impairment, or even with mild cognitive impairment, can rely more on instinct to follow the route in an emergency.
For more tips, go to www.nfpa.org or www.seniorliving.org and search under fire safety for older adults.
Q. My grandmother wants to stay in her own home but she’s been falling and we want to improve her safety there. Besides the bathroom, what other areas should be assessed for hazards?
A. The simple answer to this is anywhere in the home that your grandmother might go, but certainly the kitchen and the bedroom are areas that should be assessed also. As in the bath, throw rugs should be removed as well as any other tripping hazards such as cords, floor lamps, or small pieces of furniture like a plant stand, which might block a walker from getting through an area. Run cords along walls and secure them in place. Remove or relocate other tripping hazards out of the walking areas. Also, as in the bath, make sure other areas, such as long hallways, closets, and the bedroom, are well-lit.
Many people don’t consider the garage for safety issues but, even if you don’t think your loved one has any reason to be in the garage, it should be assessed for slipping and tripping hazards such as those from storage clutter, oily spots on the floor, and tools, bikes or machinery that block walkways. Both the kitchen and the garage should be checked for unsafe storage of cleaners, combustible liquids, oily rags and the like. Store combustible liquids in containers that are clearly marked, tightly closed, durable, and kept away from heat sources such as appliances, heaters, and direct sunlight.
Finally, make sure to limit reasons to be on stairs or any kind of step stool. Consider relocating the laundry to the main floor if necessary. Add railings, securely mounted to a wall not just the steps, for stairs into the garage, off the porch, or between rooms inside the home. Be sure needed items are put in lower cupboards so there is no reason to stand on anything to reach for a dish or a jar. For more information, The National Institute on Aging’s website, www.nia.nih.gov, has great tips and checklists for home safety and preventing falls.
Sara Duris is community information liaison of Region IV Area Agency on Aging in Southwest Michigan. Questions on age or independence services? Call the Info-Line for Aging & Disability at 800-654-2810 or visit areaagencyonaging.org. The Generations column appears each weekend in The Herald-Palladium.