Adapting Your Home On a Budget for Care of Senior Parents In Las Vegas

When the subject of elderly parents living with their adult children comes up, an idyllic scene of the old TV show "The Walton's" might come to mind where three generations lived in one big farmhouse. However, reality is quite different from a TV show. Today's average home is smaller, and adult children often have spouses, children and pets in homes where a parent or parents might be moving in. Regardless of whether the situation is temporary or permanent, caused by financial constraints or insurance coverage or just because of a debt of love, the change can be made much easier and safer by completing some simple home adaptations.

Common Needs In Senior Home Care

Compromised strength, range of motion and balance are the fundamentals considered when adapting homes for their care. Compromised cognitive abilities may also apply. The degree of severity differs for each person needing care, but typically adaptive needs are similar. The most dangerous room in homes for elders has always been the bathroom. Slips and falls that cause serious injury mostly occur there. Thresholds transitioning from one floor surface to another, from one room to another and from indoors to outdoors are another high hazard area. Burns while preparing food, navigating stairs and tripping over throw rugs, objects left on the floor and furniture edges are also common. Adaptive equipment minimizes injury potential.

Examples of Easy Home Adaptations to Enhance Senior Care

The first changes should be in the bathroom. Adding shower/tub chairs, elevated toilet seats and non-slip surfaces to floors, tubs and showers is a must. Most of these devices are available in practically any department store pharmacy at a low cost with no professional home renovations being required. Thresholds can be made safely navigable by walkers and wheelchairs by installing threshold ramps available at home supply centers. The rubber ones are available in different heights, and installation only involves placing them at the door like a door mat. Telescoping grab handles make it easier for seniors to retrieve light objects that have fallen onto the floor or are stored in overhead cabinets. Having favorite microwaveable foods always available helps to prevent burns and potential fires from stove cooking.

Caregiver Training Is Part of Home Adaptation

All of the best devices that aid with adult children providing care to elderly parents cannot compare to proper training. An example is patient lifts available in most care facilities. They are quite expensive but make it easy to lift the full weight of a person. However, there are proper lifting methods that make it much easier to do routine lifts of seniors who have difficulty standing. Knowledge of proper lifting procedures takes the strain off of caregivers and reduces the risk of injury for both seniors and caregivers. Training on methods such as this are available but may require asking medical professionals involved in senior care for advice on how to obtain it.

It would be nice if every home where seniors are cared for could be adapted using the latest technologies and equipment, but the reality is that families are most often under the strain of compromising on space and costs. Still, a little forethought and asking for help from available professionals can make the adaptation of a home to provide safe senior home care much easier, even on the tightest of budgets.