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Reducing accidents for elderly

CalvinHobbes
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CalvinHobbes Regular Member

CalvinHobbes

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Hiya, we are doing a granny flat and my mum has problems with steps so we are going to use ramps. Also I wanted to ask about sliding doors and entrance doors. We went to visit a new build extension and she tripped over the sliding door entrance because it was raised. I thought that just happened on retrofit? Can you get flat to floor entrances? Anything else anyone can suggest safety wise will be appreciated.

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ProDave Advanced Member

ProDave

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Our Rationel doors have "level threshold" entrances that actually means a step of no more than 15mm.  But Rarionel did not do a level threshold sliding door.  the step is mot much bigger and not a trip hazard but would not meet building regs as a primary entrance.

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SteamyTea Advanced Member

SteamyTea

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Just 'learning on the job' with my Mother.

It is really difficult to know what to do, a walk in shower, with a level floor (wet room) is necessary, them may sure it is large enough for a seat, controls are reachable from that seat.  Lavatories need to be higher, and if doorways can be wider, or at least a 'straight line' into and out of them, that helps.

Remote control light switches, but make sure you can override them manually and you have plenty of pre-programed controllers.

An oven with a drop down door, an induction hob (as it is not very hot) after use, taps that are easy to use, without looking like industrial ones.

 

And a very good chair.

 

One thing I have found is that old ladies can be quite determined and are happy to get on with it, it an amazing manner.  Considering my Mother was sent home from hospital 'to dies within a week to 10 days' after a couple of strokes and a hip replacement, 5 months on, she is trotting about and starting to look after herself again.  Just this morning, as I took her a mug of tea, she said that she had to get up during the night to wee.  I said that is a victory, not a hindrance.  She agreed.

 

Edited by SteamyTea
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Radian Advanced Member

Radian

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I guess it's Mother's Day. Was your Mother a young girl in WWII by any chance? I have to do something about my Mother's bedroom - her bed is close to a radiator, a non-obvious danger but the worry is that falling in the gap and not being able to get up could be catastrophic. She was school age in WWII and is quite hardy. I do notice however that she doesn't have much time for 'make do and mend' I think that generation had enough of that in the post-war years.

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SteamyTea Advanced Member

SteamyTea

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3 minutes ago, Radian said:

I guess it's Mother's Day. Was your Mother a young girl in WWII by any chance? I have to do something about my Mother's bedroom - her bed is close to a radiator, a non-obvious danger but the worry is that falling in the gap and not being able to get up could be catastrophic. She was school age in WWII and is quite hardy. I do notice however that she doesn't have much time for 'make do and mend' I think that generation had enough of that in the post-war years.

Yes she was.  93 this coming Wednesday.

 

May Aunt, who was blind, fell between the bed and the wall.  In trying to get herself up, she pulled on the bedside table, toppling it over and wedging that between herself and the wall as well.  My parents were due to visit the next day, but as they were passing, they decided to call in.  Probably bought her a few more years life.

 

My boss has an old Father and for some reason had a feeling that at 10 PM, should just pop around.  His Father had collapsed on the kitchen floor.

Not a problem, son has a key.

Except, his Father had left keys in the door locks, so that was useless.

Could not find anything to safely break a window with, so called the emergency services.  They forced a window and got in.

 

So doors that can ALWAYS be opened from outside is worth considering.

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gaz_moose Regular Member

gaz_moose

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Plug sockets half way up the wall.

plan where you would mount handrails in advance.

wheel chair width doors.

its literally endless.

where my nan lived the window openers were on wall mounted gearboxes so you didn't have to reach the windows to open them. 

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Iceverge Advanced Member

Iceverge

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On 27/03/2022 at 10:04, SteamyTea said:

, his Father had left keys in the door locks

 

A good idea from a fire safety perspective, a thumb turn internally would have been best in that case. 

 

Double handrails on the stairs buy people a couple of more years upstairs. 

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ToughButterCup Advanced Member

ToughButterCup

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On 25/03/2022 at 11:45, CalvinHobbes said:

... Anything else anyone can suggest safety wise will be appreciated.

 

A wetroom rather than bathroom. Already (because of arthritis) I can't get into or out of  a bath without a crane Pain in the arse that. 

A bum-flushing loo: yep, can't wipe my own Botticelli either ... pain in the arse that ...😒

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SteamyTea Advanced Member

SteamyTea

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59 minutes ago, Iceverge said:

Double handrails on the stairs buy people a couple of more years upstairs

Stair lift is even better. Last weekend my Mother made herself a midnight snack, without waking me up.

Brilliant.

59 minutes ago, Iceverge said:
On 27/03/2022 at 10:04, SteamyTea said:

, his Father had left keys in the door locks

 

A good idea from a fire safety perspective, a thumb turn internally would have been best in that case.

Sister has been teaching her to lock doors this week. Tieing key to door handle helps. They know where it is, can't drop it on floor, and hopefully remember to take it out of lock.

We have a key safe outside. Written the number on a bit of paper and taped it to a back window. Then anyone can get in if they need to, once we tell them which window to look at.

Edited by SteamyTea
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Nickfromwales Advanced Member

Nickfromwales

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On 27/03/2022 at 09:53, Radian said:

I guess it's Mother's Day. Was your Mother a young girl in WWII by any chance? I have to do something about my Mother's bedroom - her bed is close to a radiator, a non-obvious danger but the worry is that falling in the gap and not being able to get up could be catastrophic. She was school age in WWII and is quite hardy. I do notice however that she doesn't have much time for 'make do and mend' I think that generation had enough of that in the post-war years.

Low surface temperature radiator / cover ;) 

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SteamyTea Advanced Member

SteamyTea

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1 hour ago, Onoff said:

 

The worry is I've made him tea up there!

I have noticed over the last few months that I am forgetting trivial things. Nothing major. Forgot how to do the ⁰ sign on my PC the other day, and I must type that a few thousand times a year.

Alt + 248 if I remember correctly.

Forgetting to make tea would be unforgivable and would trigger immediate medical intervention, forgetting the kettle type is trivial.

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jack Advanced Member

jack

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17 minutes ago, SteamyTea said:

I have noticed over the last few months that I am forgetting trivial things.

 

Remembering names has always been a serious issue for me, and it's absolutely been getting worse over the last few years.

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