For anyone who has had to look after an aging relative or even an aging spouse, you know that the most important thing from day to day is a person's safety.
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While our loved ones may still be able to do many things, there are also many that they can no longer do for themselves. So as their caregivers we need to make sure that their independence and safety come first and foremost.
We took my mother into our home at the end of February and since then have made many small changes that has resulted in her being able to do some things for herself . This helps her with her self-esteem! The more we can help her be independent, the less she will suffer from Depression.
One of the major things we needed to do was to make sure that her night-time routines would be easier for her and for us as well.
Nightlights became a "must have"! She has one in her bedroom and one in the bathroom. What I love about these nightlights is that they don't cast such a glow as to interfere with her sleep, yet when it is dark at night, they illuminate her surroundings enough that she can make out a clear path to her bathroom.
We were talking with many representatives about services and tools that are useful for seniors. They gave us a great list of things we could do to make my mother's situation as good as it can be.
The second part of this safety lesson for us, was having something that she can hold onto when getting up out of bed. It's difficult at the best of times for the elderly to get safely from their beds to the bathroom, but when they also have lightheadedness, it is even more critical to make their trip to the loo, an easy, and safe journey.
This may be of great help for you in whatever situation you might find yourself. It is a simple bed frame that is firmly attached to the box spring on the bed. It offers a rail that can be held onto until they get their feet under them. It stabilizes them until they can take that first step or two after getting up!
My mother loves this rail and uses it even through the day when she feels the need for a little extra support. It has a non-slip covering that is soft on "old hands". This is the Amazon Choice for bed rails, but in our case it was also the one most recommended by Senior's Occupational Health and Safety. It is not terribly expensive and gives us so much piece of mind. Because of the relative costs for her safety and depending on your own situation, you could install these rails on either side of the bed or on both sides for that little bit of extra safety and security.
In our case one rail was enough as her bed is on a wall on the other side. There is only one way into her bed and one way out! We are so pleased with this purchase because it makes our lives easier knowing that she is safely tucked into her bed at night, but that should she need to get up, she can do so in a manner that doesn't put her at risk of falling!
In the description of this item it says that it takes 2 minutes to install and I thought to myself, that for sure it was an exaggeration. Well, I was wrong! It really did only takes a few minutes to have this bed rail installed and ready for use. Over all both my husband and I are so pleased with this purchase and my mother loves it as well.
Aging is not easy as every day brings some new challenges, but with the right tools, everyday life can be made easier!
Here's to keeping our loved ones safe and secure in their later years.
You can read more about safety and seniors in my other review:
Wonderful Tools to Help You Age Gracefully
