Elderly must have mishap-proof homes

After their son moved to another city with his family and their daughter went abroad for higher studies, Neeta and Viren Desai were looking forward to a quiet life in their 2BHK South Mumbai apartment. However, they realised it was important to “mishap-proof” their home when Neeta slipped in the bathroom and fractured her hip. “We used to have minor hassles like bumping into furniture and tripping over carpets. But this was serious and called for immediate adjustments within the house,” says Viren.

The Desais then decluttered the living room and kept only basic furniture that ensured obstruction-free movement. The loose ends of the carpets were fixed and they bought anti-skid doormats. The couple also installed bars and handles on the walls of the bathroom and toilets to hold on to in case the floor was wet and slippery.

Home accidents are a major source of injuries in Indian homes and can cause disability and even death in some cases. “Older persons, whose bones are often less dense and more brittle, are especially vulnerable to serious injuries from mishaps in the house. A simple fall that results in a broken bone can become a disabling injury limiting their independence,” says Dr Kusum Doshi, a Mumbai-based geriatrician.

Experts working with the elderly insist that basic care and simple safety guidelines go a long way in ensuring a safe and accident-free life for senior citizens living alone or even within a joint family. They add that slipping and falling  are the main cause of injury for older people in the home. Burns occurring from hot tap water and from gas stove flames are also common.

Non-trailing clothing are recommended for the elderly to prevent tripping and falling. “Night gowns, sarees or long pajamas that often trail on the floor must be avoided,” says Mahim resident Neha Kadam who, along with other volunteers, visits the seniors residents in her housing colony to share safety tips over cups of tea and biscuits.

For those who can afford it, a smoke alarm in the kitchen and elsewhere in the house is also recommended. In all the areas of the house it is also important to check for malfunction in electrical and telephone cords and outlets. Proper ventilation is also important to avoid accidental fire from gas leaking out of LPG cylinders.

Doshi sums it up by saying, “For the elderly, their house should be comfortable and accident-free so that they can live peacefully without unnecessary worries.”