She is currently a senior placement consultant with Faith Senior Consulting Services. She is a certified dementia practitioner and has served in several different roles in the senior industry in the Wichita area. Teressa has spent the last ten years working with seniors. Something that ignites her is a team project that leads to an exciting goal. She also has a passion for non-profit organizations, as she has played an integral part in the fund raising, feasibility study, and capital campaign of the 7.1-million-dollar restoration of a 1924 theatre in her hometown. As a teen and young adult, she loved to share in song and devotion at local senior facilities. She would often knock on their doors and ask if she could help them with household chores. Teressa fell in love with senior citizens as a young girl. Remove trip hazards like rocks and roots from the yard. Check the driveway for cracks regularly, and be sure there’s a clear path to the mailbox. Ask a safety expert about flattening thresholds or adding indoor ramps or handrails. Raised flooring between rooms can be a significant trip hazard. Kitchen and shower stools make it easier for seniors to perform activities of daily living, like cooking and bathing independently. Make the home senior friendly by adding accessible seating, like a bench near the front door for putting on shoes. Grab bars can be purchased at hardware stores and installed by handy do-it-yourselfers, plumbers, or home safety specialists. Most in-home falls occur in the bathroom. Install non-slip flooring, and cover all cords and wires. If there’s a pet or child in the home, be sure to keep toys picked up. Area rugs, electrical cords, and low tables and ottomans are all risks. With aging skin and decreased bone density, seniors often have difficulty recovering from falls - both physically and financially. When your loved one breaks the plane of the light, the pager will receive an alert.įalls are the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries in seniors 65 and older, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Here is one device KSC uses and highly recommends for motion sensors and pagers. Create clear paths and open areas to encourage independence and social interaction, which are two important needs for people with dementia, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.Install easily accessible lights and night lights throughout the home to reduce disorientation at night.Remove locks from the senior’s bedroom and bathroom, so they can’t accidentally lock themselves in and start to panic.Make sure locks installed to exterior doors are out of sight (either high or low), or use deadbolts to prevent wandering outside the house.Lock all drawers and cabinets containing knives, cleaning supplies, and medication, and secure garages or basements that may contain harmful chemicals or machinery.Put finger guards on garbage disposals or cover switches with safety locks.Use appliances with auto-shutoff features, or install hidden gas valves and circuit breakers, so that ovens, fire places, and stoves can’t be left on.If you’re caring for a senior loved one with dementia in your own home, take these extra safety precautions: Seniors with mild cognitive impairment may be able to age at home, but those who have begun to wander or have experienced significant memory loss should be supervised at all times.
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