PKD Life - Fall 2021 - 10

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CAREGIVING
Age s & Stage s
Home Safe Home
How to make living spaces safer for
aging family members.
By Andrea Atkins
I f you want to make a home safer
for an aging relative, Fritzi GrosDaillon
of Age Safe America has just
two words: grab bars.
" Grab bars are the new seat belts, "
she says. " Nobody wanted seat belts at
fi rst; we all thought we'd be fi ne without
them. But now, we know seat belts
save lives.
" People don't want grab bars
because they think they don't need
them or that their house is going to
look like a hospital. But grab bars are
such a valuable safety feature, and
companies are making more attractive
grab bars these days. "
With deadly falls among the elderly
on the rise in this country, Gros-Daillon
says, " we can help people. If you're
going to slip on the soap in the bathroom,
a grab bar keeps you from falling
hard. " Aging adults with PKD face
the same issues as anyone else who is
aging in place. " Forty percent of nursing
home admissions are a result of
falls, and falls are the leading cause
of injury-related death in people over
65, " Gros-Daillon says.
MORE
SAFETY TIPS
1 ADD BETTER
LIGHTING. Motion
sensor lights that turn
on as people walk by
will help older eyes
navigate. On stairs,
under cabinets, and
over front door locks,
lighting equals safety.
2 USE BUMP DOTS.
These adhesive strips of
raised dots (which you
can purchase online)
will help older people
recognize which button
to push to turn on an
appliance, or to more
easily fi nd a switch.
3 DITCH THE
THROW RUGS AND
THROW PILLOWS.
" If the word 'throw' is
in its title, throw it out, "
Gros-Daillon says. These
items are common tripping
hazards.
That's why Cher Godfrey of Tinley
Park, Illinois, added grab bars to her
95-year-old dad's bathroom, got him a
shower chair, and converted the tub to
a walk-in shower. " He fought putting
a chair in the shower, " she says. " But
now he loves it. "
Your loved one may push back at
your suggestions, so take it slow. " Do
one thing instead of coming in and
saying, 'There are about a dozen safety
things that we're going to do today,' "
Gros-Daillon says. " Another strategy to
get buy-in on the changes is to include
loved ones as decision-makers. You
can get their input on which motion
sensor light or grab bar style to pick.
You can make it a win-win and pick
up double-stick tape for rug corners
while you're in the store. "
Lastly, Gros-Daillon suggests telling
your loved ones that you'd appreciate
it if they would try this one step
not because they are old and in need,
but rather because it will make you
feel better. Loved ones will often
agree because they don't want to
worry you.
*
10 PKD LIFE * FALL 2021
PKD Life - Fall 2021

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