Toledo Union Journal

How To Make Life
Easier
For
Older People
Around
The
House

If you live with your parents - or if they live with you - it may seem impossible to cater to their needs and yours at the same time.

Elderly persons need higher room temperatures than younger ones; what is music to your ears is too loud for theirs, and the split level that is your pride may be their pitfall.

However, a simple list of easy steps can make your home safer and more comfortable not only for your parents, but for you, too.

The Kitchen

In your kitchen, as in many other areas of the home, grandmother's needs are little different from her daughter's. She just needs a little more.

Supplies should be kept at a level between 28 and 64 inches from the floor, to save on bending (Daughter obviously saves here, too.) If you can't store everything at that height, start filling in with your most frequently-used supplies.

Paper products should be used whenever possible; they keep both old and young hands out of dish water. A new China-Cote Service Cup by Lily-Tulip, has a heat-resistant plastic lining that keeps hot drinks hot without in any way affecting their flavor.

A roll-out trash box is a good investment; it pulls out easier from corners or under cabinets.

Ironing boards come in adjustable sizes these days - get one you can use while sitting down.

At least one serving cart is a must. Roll what you carry, don't lift it.

Around the House

In a not-so-old motion picture, Charles Laughton plays an ever-so-old lawyer who cavorts up and down the stairs on an electric cable-chair. The idea is a good one, but on the expensive side.

You may not be able to afford a cable-chair, but you can afford a good handrail. If your present bannister is weak, either repair or replace it.

Other fall preventives:

Eliminate all thresholds and other tripping hazards. As much as possible, keep your flooring on one level.

Have non-skid floor surfaces in every room.

Special Needs

While most precautionary measures make good sense for persons of all ages, in some areas the senior citizen stands alone. Older persons are more sensitive to sound and heat, for example, and they must pamper their bodies some.

Soundproofing is a good idea for the bedroom, or for any room they spend much time in.

Eighty degrees - too warm for younger persons is just right for the average older person. If your parents are very inactive, keep their bedroom thermostat higher than that.

The night-time trip from bedroom to bath becomes more frequent with age. Try to situate their bedroom as near the bathroom as possible; keep a night-light burning, and for extra convenience, have a supply of Lily paper cups on the bathroom shelf.

Protection

An old man in Chicago for years wore a whistle around his neck out of fear of hooligans. Unfortunately, a time came for him to use it - but he was too nervous. He couldn't even lift it to his mouth.

A better idea is to have a bell wired in your parents' bedroom and in the bathroom. It protects them not only from vandals, but in health emergencies. Connect it to your room, but see that it's hooked up to a neighbor's house also - you may not be home if and when they ring.

Such simple, sound steps may not make your old house into a modern, one-level palace designed especially for your parents' ease. But each and every one is based on principles developed over years of study they combine old-age needs with age-old common sense.