Home nursing care is great because it allows one to remain in the comfort of their own home while receiving personalized health care.  In fact, the quality of healthcare that is provided in most home nursing care cases is often superior to that which might be received in a nursing home, both in terms of personalization and qualification.  However, usually home nursing care means that the client isn’t under constant, 24/7 supervision.  This does make for a much more affordable service, but it also means that someone may not always be present in the case of an accident.  Therefore, it is vital that the proper precautions are taken and any possible risks are avoided.  That’s why Home Care by Benchmark is providing this list of safety tips for home nursing care in Upland.  We are dedicated to helping you live a healthy, comfortable and safe life.  

Be Careful Outside the Home

Naturally, most real safety hazards exist outside of the home.  From planters to uneven sidewalks, and more, there are abundant risks.  That’s why it is particularly important that you pay careful attention to your surroundings and especially the ground you are walking on when you are outside of your home.  Watch for steps, ledges, and shifted cracks in the cement.  Be careful when you are exiting your car, even in your own garage.  Consider installing a smooth pathway in front of and around your home if it will decrease the risks that are posed to you.  It is also imperative that you maintain the pavement and lawn surrounding your home.  You can even add a handrail around your pathways and down any stairs, if it will assist you with your outside mobility.

Have Adequate Lighting Inside

There is no doubt that a great majority of accidents that happen inside the home can be prevented with adequate lighting.  Make sure to regularly change your lightbulbs so they don’t get dim and start affecting your day-to-day visibility.  When lighting a room, try to eliminate the overlapping shadows, as changing daylight may increase them.  Additionally, using newer, energy-efficient halogen lights means that you have to change them much less often and that they provide much clearer, better lighting.  Having adequate lighting throughout your home can prevent injury, damage to your home, and make for an overall more comfortable living environment.  In short, this is one of the safety precautions that you should consider most heavily.  

Rugs are More Trouble Than They are Worth

This is one of the only instances where safety might require a sacrifice of style, but it is well worth it.  Throw rugs are a nice visual addition to any room, but they are also a fairly serious hazard.  If they bunch up, they can easily go unnoticed and be tripped on.  Rugs can also slip themselves, thus causing the person stepping on it to slip as well.  Lastly, they can conceal items or places that cause a walking hazard, such as sharp objects, bulges that can be tripped on, or even holes and indentations.  At the end of the day, removing all of the rugs from a house is definitely worth sacrificing the style for the sake of safety.  Here is a video about falling techniques, in the unfortunate occurrence that something ever happens.  

Consider Bedside Precautions

If you don’t already have one, you should think about moving a sturdy bedside table or nightstand into your room.  Note the emphasis on “sturdy.”  This is important because the piece of furniture that you add may double as a support for when you get in and out of bed.  If your bedside table seems to be unsturdy or top heavy, consider mounting it to the wall for additional support.  You should also consider having a phone always available at your bedside.  This way, in case of an accident, you’ll easily be able to call for assistance.  

Slip-Proof Your Bathroom

Restrooms can often be a hazardous place, if proper precautions are not made.  First, we suggest placing non-slip mats in and outside of the shower.  Stepping in, out, and around a wet shower can be extremely slippery and dangerous.  Eliminating this problem significantly cuts down the risk of an accident occurring inside of a restroom.  It’s also a good idea to install grab bars inside of showers.  Lastly, we highly recommend walk-in showers as opposed to tubs.  Having to step over a tub can expend a lot of energy and also raises the risk for a slip or a fall.

Non-slip socks are especially helpful for homes with hardwood or laminate flooring.  These types of floors can get extraordinarily slippering, depending on changes in the weather or what liquids have spilled on them.  Even certain cleaning solutions can make them slippery for longer periods of time.  In order to avoid all risks of slipping, we suggest wearing non-slip socks regularly while at home.  They can provide enough traction to ensure that you can safely traverse your home without the risk of slipping.  By following this step, you can eliminate a large percentage of risks from your home.

Home Care by Benchmark is the leader in Upland home nursing care.  We pride ourselves on providing the highest quality of assistance at the most competitive rates.  Visit us at homecarebybenchmark.com to schedule your free in-home assessment today!