You may worry about your aging loved one’s safety to the point that you check the fire alarms and make sure the house is locked. However, you may have overlooked the importance of proper lighting for a senior’s health. Your loved one needs adequate lighting in the home to prevent issues such as fall-related injuries. Use the following tips to brighten up your loved one’s living environment.
Visit during the Evening
Your loved one’s home may have enough light during the day, but he or she may face lighting issues after the sun goes down. Stop by your loved one’s home in the evening to determine if there’s enough light to see when walking through each room. Look for less obvious places that need lighting, such as a darkened pantry where the kitchen light doesn’t reach. Write down any areas of concern on a piece of paper you can refer back to later as you develop a plan to install more lighting.
Even with adequate lighting in place, your loved one may still be susceptible to fall-related injuries. However, you can increase your loved one’s safety at home by hiring a professional caregiver. Home care service professionals can be a wonderful boon to seniors. Whether they require around-the-clock supervision or just need assistance with exercise and household tasks a few days a week, seniors can enjoy a higher quality of life with the help of trusted in-home caregivers.
Focus on Ambient Light
During the senior years, changes in a person’s eyesight and cognitive abilities may make it difficult to adjust to certain kinds of light. For instance, harsh light from exposed bulbs can generate glare on shiny surfaces that interferes with the ability to see properly. Make sure all of the lights in the house have shades or some type of cover that softens the glow.
Add Motion-Activated Lights
Many seniors have inaccessible switches in their homes. For instance, your loved one may only have one switch at the end of a long hallway, or he or she may face difficulty finding the bathroom light switch in the dark. Consider adding motion-activated lights to your loved one’s home that provide an instantly brightened path when walking into a room.
Change the Light Bulbs Regularly
It won’t do any good to install lights throughout the home if they don’t have working bulbs. Choose light bulbs designed to last for as many hours as possible, and make sure each fixture has new ones. Then check the bulbs regularly to see if they need replacement.
If your loved one needs help staying safe while aging in place but you have other responsibilities to attend to, consider hiring a professional caregiver. Whether your elderly loved one needs part-time assistance with basic household chores or you need a break from your caregiving duties, the Reston respite care experts at Assisting Hands Home Care are here to help. All of our home care services are backed with a 100% satisfaction guarantee, there are no hidden fees in our contracts, and we never ask our clients to sign long-term contracts.
Address Energy Concerns with Automation
Help your loved one address energy concerns by automating certain lights in the house to turn off and on with timers. Automation is ideal for outdoor lights and other lights your loved one may forget to turn off. You can also show your loved one how to use an app to turn the lights on and off as needed.
Fall-related injuries due to inadequate lighting are just one of the many issues older adults are susceptible to. The type of home care Reston seniors need can vary. Some need assistance a few hours a day, while others require more extensive around-the-clock assistance. At Assisting Hands Home Care, we tailor our care plans based on each senior’s individual care needs, and the plans can be adjusted at any time. We are a trusted provider of respite and 24-hour care, and we also offer specialized Alzheimer’s, dementia, Parkinson’s, and stroke care for seniors. To create a customized in-home care plan for your loved one, call us today.
