How can I help my aging parent live alone safely?
From MyIntel. Updated .
The short answer
Start with the home, since falls are the biggest risk for older adults who live alone. Fix the easy things first: loose rugs, dark stairs and a slippery shower. Then make sure your parent can always get help, even if they fall and cannot reach a phone. Agree on a simple way to stay in touch, and talk about what would mean it is time for more support. Most of all, make the plan with your parent, not for them.
1. Make the home safer
About 1 in 4 adults 65 and older falls each year, according to the CDC. Most falls happen at home, and many can be prevented with simple changes.
- Remove or tape down loose rugs and move cords out of walkways.
- Add light: bright bulbs on stairs and night lights from the bed to the bathroom.
- Put grab bars by the toilet and in the shower, and a non-slip mat in the tub.
- Keep everyday items between waist and shoulder height so there is no climbing or bending.
- Get a home safety assessment so a professional can spot what you might miss.
2. Make sure help is always within reach
A phone across the room does not help after a fall. A help button worn on the wrist or neck connects your parent to a trained person any time, day or night. Fall sensors in the bathroom and bedroom can get help even if the button is not being worn.
3. Stay in touch without hovering
Many parents do not want to feel checked on. A daily call at the same time is a simple start. Some families use sensors that learn the usual day and send a gentle heads-up only when something is different, so there is no need to call five times a day.
4. Know the signs it is time for more help
Look for changes like missed meals, unopened mail, new bruises, a messier home or trouble getting up from a chair. These can mean it is time to add support, not that your parent must move.
5. Make the plan together
Your parent should help choose what changes and who gets updates. People stick with a plan they helped make. MyIntel can help with the home safety visit, setup and a help button answered 24/7 in the Denver metro area, and family can get updates wherever they live.
Common questions
What if I live far from my parent?
That is common. Choose help that does not depend on you being nearby: a help button answered 24/7, sensors that send updates to your phone and a local team for setup and visits.
How do I bring this up without upsetting my parent?
Lead with what they want, which is usually to stay in their own home. Frame safety changes as the way to make that happen, and let them make the choices.
Does MyIntel work outside Denver?
We set up homes and do home safety visits in the Denver metro area. Our free online home check works anywhere.
Sources
Questions about your home? Call (720) 989-1123 or send us a note.