Helping elderly people live independently

Video transcript

Helping people to live independently in their home during their later years is all about managing risk and vulnerability. It’s making their house safe through common sense measures in order to prevent accidents.

General safety measures

To help an older person live safely at home can mean taking some sensible precautions. For example, re-arrange the furniture, make sure the walkways are clear of clutter, especially free of cords and wires because those are a trip-hazard. But, generally, just have a look around and tidy up those cords and wires. Look at a person's footwear. Ill-fitting slippers – well, that can also lead to people slipping and tripping.

Then there’s the issue of alarms: a working smoke alarm on every floor in a person's house. And then there are personal alarms connected to a 24-hour centre, so there’s always help at hand.

In the bedroom

One of the things that people often forget is that bedrooms themselves can be hazardous areas. Trailing bedsheets, covers, can be a trip-hazard. So it makes a lot of sense to make that bed as soon as possible, tucking away all those sheets and covers.

At night, common sense says: have a torch available. But also a bedside light makes sense: possibly even a bedside light with a night-light that will gently illuminate the room, thereby reducing the risk of an accident.

In the kitchen

For an older person living independently, the kitchen can be a particularly hazardous area, so we need some common sense measures. So why not have a notice alerting people to the hot-water tap? Remind them to turn the cooker off. Why not re-arrange the food and the household utensils on low shelves? You don’t want people trying to get onto a stool or reaching up if they don't have to. Put a non-slip mat by the sink, because obviously that’s a slippery area – it’s a water hazard – so enabling them to do the washing-up still, keeping their independence.

In the bathroom

Older people can lose confidence when they’re in the bathroom because they are slippery areas because of all the water that's around. So ensure that you have handrails by the shower, by the toilet and by the bath, to ensure that people can keep their balance as they negotiate their way around the room.

In the garden

Ensure that the paths are free of leaves and overhanging plants. In the autumn, in particular, be aware of fallen leaves because that's a slip-hazard. In the winter, be aware of ice. So always be watchful when the weather is bad.

Memory aids

For some older people in their later years, their memories are not as good as they once were. So it is important to move now to consider memory aids and memory advice, such as ‘a place for everything, and everything in its place’.

Put labels on the outsides of cupboards identifying what's in that cupboard behind the door. Have calendars, notepads, diaries, clocks all working, up to date and accurate.

A routine makes a lot of sense because then life is predictable and the person isn't relying on a memory that is letting them down.

Have phone numbers of family, friends, the emergency services by the telephone because that gives everybody peace of mind.

This video is intended for general information only and it does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.

Further information

• Age UK
  0800 169 6565
  www.ageuk.org.uk
• Mental Health Foundation
  www.mentalhealth.org.uk
• Mind
  0845 766 0163
  www.mind.org.uk
• British Nutrition Foundation
  www.nutrition.org.uk