WEBVTT 00:00:00.819 --> 00:00:04.519 Welcome to the Daily Senior Safety Advice Podcast. 00:00:04.980 --> 00:00:08.019 This is the show where we talk about simple practical 00:00:08.019 --> 00:00:11.380 ways to help older adults stay safe, confident, 00:00:11.660 --> 00:00:15.179 and independent at home. I'm Esther Cain, a retired 00:00:15.179 --> 00:00:18.059 occupational therapist, certified aging in place 00:00:18.059 --> 00:00:21.339 specialist, and dementia care specialist. Today's 00:00:21.339 --> 00:00:24.300 topic is on spotting the hidden dangers at home. 00:00:24.620 --> 00:00:27.359 The ones that are easy to miss but can quietly 00:00:27.359 --> 00:00:30.820 increase the risk of falls or injury over time. 00:00:31.219 --> 00:00:33.520 So we're going to walk through how to notice 00:00:33.520 --> 00:00:37.200 them and what you can do about them. I'm so glad 00:00:37.200 --> 00:00:41.020 that you're here. Please visit our website SeniorSafetyAdvice 00:00:41.020 --> 00:00:44.520 .com. Subscribe to the podcast and YouTube channel 00:00:44.520 --> 00:00:47.299 and share this episode with someone who cares 00:00:47.299 --> 00:00:50.719 about senior safety too. All right, let's get 00:00:50.719 --> 00:00:53.700 into it. When most people think about home hazards, 00:00:53.880 --> 00:00:56.079 they picture something obvious, you know, like 00:00:56.079 --> 00:00:59.539 a loose rug or wet floor, cluttered hallway. 00:01:00.119 --> 00:01:03.240 And yeah, it's true, those things matter. But 00:01:03.240 --> 00:01:05.799 in my years as an occupational therapist working 00:01:05.799 --> 00:01:08.840 with older adults, I learned that some of the 00:01:08.840 --> 00:01:11.140 most dangerous problems in a home are the ones 00:01:11.140 --> 00:01:14.799 that people tend to stop noticing. They blend 00:01:14.799 --> 00:01:18.280 into everyday life. They become part of the background. 00:01:18.799 --> 00:01:22.099 That is what makes them so risky. A home can 00:01:22.099 --> 00:01:26.140 feel familiar and still be unsafe. It's a hard 00:01:26.140 --> 00:01:28.980 idea, I know, for many older adults and family 00:01:28.980 --> 00:01:31.980 caregivers. If you have lived in a home for many 00:01:31.980 --> 00:01:35.140 years, it's easy to believe that because nothing 00:01:35.140 --> 00:01:38.500 bad has happened yet, everything must be fine. 00:01:38.879 --> 00:01:42.099 But safety is not just about what has already 00:01:42.099 --> 00:01:45.379 gone wrong, it is also about what could happen 00:01:45.379 --> 00:01:48.500 when your vision changes, when your balance changes, 00:01:48.620 --> 00:01:51.480 when your strength changes, or even when your 00:01:51.480 --> 00:01:54.900 memory changes. That is where hidden hazards 00:01:54.900 --> 00:01:59.299 start to matter. A hidden home hazard is anything 00:01:59.299 --> 00:02:02.000 that quietly increases the chance of a fall, 00:02:02.560 --> 00:02:06.879 an injury, confusion, or just causes trouble 00:02:06.879 --> 00:02:11.159 doing daily tasks safely. It may not look dramatic. 00:02:11.300 --> 00:02:14.840 In fact, it may look completely normal, but normal 00:02:14.840 --> 00:02:18.300 does not always mean safe. One example I can 00:02:18.300 --> 00:02:21.759 give you is poor lighting. I have seen so many 00:02:21.759 --> 00:02:24.219 homes that looked bright enough during the day, 00:02:24.659 --> 00:02:28.259 but became risky in the evening. A hallway may 00:02:28.259 --> 00:02:31.680 seem fine until the sun goes down. A staircase 00:02:31.680 --> 00:02:34.840 may have light at the top, but not at the bottom. 00:02:34.919 --> 00:02:37.819 a bathroom may have shadows that make it hard 00:02:37.819 --> 00:02:40.979 to judge where the toilet seat or the tub edge 00:02:40.979 --> 00:02:44.319 really is. That kind of lighting problem can 00:02:44.319 --> 00:02:48.199 lead to missteps, hesitation, and even falls. 00:02:49.000 --> 00:02:51.719 A simple way to spot this hazard is to walk through 00:02:51.719 --> 00:02:54.560 the home at the times when it is actually used. 00:02:55.360 --> 00:02:59.099 Check the pathway from the bed to the bathroom 00:02:59.099 --> 00:03:02.240 at night. Look at the kitchen early in the morning. 00:03:02.680 --> 00:03:05.960 uh and of course in the evening stand in the 00:03:05.960 --> 00:03:08.840 shower area notice where the space feels clear 00:03:08.840 --> 00:03:12.479 or shadowy safety looks very different at 2 p 00:03:12.479 --> 00:03:16.000 .m than it does at 2 a .m hopefully you're not 00:03:16.000 --> 00:03:19.680 up at 2 a .m another hidden hazard of course 00:03:19.680 --> 00:03:22.139 that i think a lot of people don't think about 00:03:22.139 --> 00:03:25.979 is furniture placement people often think clutter 00:03:25.979 --> 00:03:30.340 is the issue and yeah sometimes that is But sometimes 00:03:30.340 --> 00:03:33.759 the room looks neat and still does not work well. 00:03:34.219 --> 00:03:37.580 A chair may be too low to stand up from safely. 00:03:38.099 --> 00:03:41.120 A coffee table may sit just close enough to catch 00:03:41.120 --> 00:03:45.240 a shin or block a walker. A favorite lamp may 00:03:45.240 --> 00:03:48.840 require reaching and twisting. A narrow path 00:03:48.840 --> 00:03:51.479 between pieces of furniture may force a person 00:03:51.479 --> 00:03:54.800 to turn sideways or take small awkward steps. 00:03:55.520 --> 00:04:00.620 I used to see this so often. A family would proudly 00:04:00.620 --> 00:04:03.259 tell me that the room was tidy and they were 00:04:03.259 --> 00:04:07.020 right. It was tidy but it wasn't supportive. 00:04:07.659 --> 00:04:11.520 The furniture was too big for the area. There 00:04:11.520 --> 00:04:14.979 were a lot of squares, you know, where it's so 00:04:14.979 --> 00:04:19.019 easy to catch your leg and as you get older skin 00:04:19.019 --> 00:04:22.939 gets thinner and it's much easier to tear and 00:04:22.939 --> 00:04:27.689 takes a lot longer to heal. These homes simply 00:04:27.689 --> 00:04:32.550 did not match the person's current body or mobility 00:04:32.550 --> 00:04:36.189 needs. And that's a really big difference. A 00:04:36.189 --> 00:04:41.410 safe home is not just clean, it's usable. Bathrooms 00:04:41.410 --> 00:04:44.730 are full of hidden hazards too. And this is important 00:04:44.730 --> 00:04:47.790 because so many falls happen in the bathroom. 00:04:48.949 --> 00:04:52.170 Bathroom may look spotless and still be dangerous. 00:04:52.410 --> 00:04:55.350 The floor may become slippery with only a little 00:04:55.350 --> 00:04:58.370 bit of water. There may be nothing solid to hold 00:04:58.370 --> 00:05:01.449 onto while stepping in and out of the tub. The 00:05:01.449 --> 00:05:04.949 toilet may be too low. The towel bar may be used 00:05:04.949 --> 00:05:08.230 like a grab bar, God forbid, even though it is 00:05:08.230 --> 00:05:11.449 not built to hold your body weight. That last 00:05:11.449 --> 00:05:15.050 one really worries me a lot, honestly. Just replace 00:05:15.050 --> 00:05:18.230 the grab bar, I mean replace the towel bar with 00:05:18.230 --> 00:05:21.889 a grab bar so you can use it for both purposes. 00:05:22.509 --> 00:05:25.329 Many people reach for whatever is nearby when 00:05:25.329 --> 00:05:28.709 they feel unsteady. If that nearby object is 00:05:28.709 --> 00:05:32.170 not secure, it can pull right out of the wall. 00:05:32.829 --> 00:05:35.269 The person is not doing something foolish. They're 00:05:35.269 --> 00:05:37.470 just doing what people naturally do when they 00:05:37.470 --> 00:05:40.470 lose your balance. The problem is that the home 00:05:40.470 --> 00:05:43.410 is not giving them something safe to grab onto. 00:05:44.829 --> 00:05:47.949 Now, kitchens can hide hazards in quieter ways. 00:05:48.459 --> 00:05:51.959 Sometimes the danger is not falling. Sometimes 00:05:51.959 --> 00:05:56.699 it's overreaching, bending, lifting, or simply 00:05:56.699 --> 00:06:00.220 forgetting. Heavy pots stored low can strain 00:06:00.220 --> 00:06:03.540 your back. Everyday dishes stored on a high shelf 00:06:03.540 --> 00:06:07.000 can lead to unsafe climbing. Medications may 00:06:07.000 --> 00:06:10.680 sit next to similar -looking supplements. Cleaning 00:06:10.680 --> 00:06:12.779 products may be placed where they're easy to 00:06:12.779 --> 00:06:16.279 confuse with something else. A person with mild 00:06:16.279 --> 00:06:19.060 memory changes may leave the stove on or forget 00:06:19.060 --> 00:06:23.220 food in the oven. These are not character flaws. 00:06:23.300 --> 00:06:26.399 These are real life challenges that come with 00:06:26.399 --> 00:06:30.139 aging, illness, stress, fatigue, or cognitive 00:06:30.139 --> 00:06:34.680 change. I always encourage families to stop asking, 00:06:35.279 --> 00:06:39.420 what should this person be able to do, and instead 00:06:39.420 --> 00:06:43.439 start asking what setup would make this easier 00:06:43.439 --> 00:06:48.199 and safer. That one shift can change everything 00:06:48.199 --> 00:06:52.360 and keep everyone, especially senior loved ones, 00:06:52.939 --> 00:06:55.879 safer and living independently much longer at 00:06:55.879 --> 00:06:59.680 home. Flooring is another area that people tend 00:06:59.680 --> 00:07:03.040 to overlook. It's not just about throw rugs. 00:07:03.920 --> 00:07:06.899 I mean, those are the big ones, of course. But 00:07:06.899 --> 00:07:10.300 I also mean about... transitions between the 00:07:10.300 --> 00:07:13.740 rooms. You know, like those small raised thresholds 00:07:13.740 --> 00:07:17.079 that are usually between doorways. Flooring that 00:07:17.079 --> 00:07:21.199 changes from smooth tile to thick carpet, a curled 00:07:21.199 --> 00:07:24.540 edge, a mat that slides, electrical cords across 00:07:24.540 --> 00:07:28.240 a walking path. Why would you do that? Even a 00:07:28.240 --> 00:07:31.160 glossy floor can be a problem if it causes glare 00:07:31.160 --> 00:07:33.560 or makes someone feel unsure of their footing. 00:07:34.120 --> 00:07:37.740 The thing about the thresholds is that they can 00:07:37.740 --> 00:07:43.459 be high enough to make it difficult to push a 00:07:43.459 --> 00:07:47.040 walker through or a cane could catch on it. My 00:07:47.040 --> 00:07:49.980 mom -in -law in her late 90s couldn't get to 00:07:49.980 --> 00:07:52.279 her bathroom in the middle of the night because 00:07:52.279 --> 00:07:55.279 she didn't have the strength to push her wheelchair 00:07:55.279 --> 00:07:59.019 across that small threshold between her bedroom 00:07:59.019 --> 00:08:01.860 and her bathroom. It was very embarrassing for 00:08:01.860 --> 00:08:05.259 her and she called out in the middle of the night, 00:08:05.259 --> 00:08:09.199 you know, crying, the poor thing. Now you can 00:08:09.199 --> 00:08:14.459 replace that with a very flat threshold. Sometimes 00:08:14.459 --> 00:08:17.560 people move more dangerously when they don't 00:08:17.560 --> 00:08:21.339 trust the floor beneath them. They shuffle, they 00:08:21.339 --> 00:08:24.620 rush. They grab at furniture. They avoid using 00:08:24.620 --> 00:08:28.100 the proper steps. Fear changes movement and movement 00:08:28.100 --> 00:08:30.860 affects safety. And that's another thing about 00:08:30.860 --> 00:08:33.940 those thresholds. If you notice that your senior 00:08:33.940 --> 00:08:36.919 loved one or you yourself are beginning to shuffle 00:08:36.919 --> 00:08:39.919 and not pick up your feet as much as you used 00:08:39.919 --> 00:08:44.960 to, those thresholds can easily trip you up and 00:08:44.960 --> 00:08:49.940 you fall over. I mean, these are just simple 00:08:49.940 --> 00:08:52.799 little things, but these are the hidden hazards 00:08:52.799 --> 00:08:56.799 to look out for. They don't always just create 00:08:56.799 --> 00:09:00.360 physical risk. They can slowly chip away at your 00:09:00.360 --> 00:09:02.620 confidence because you don't feel safe in your 00:09:02.620 --> 00:09:06.919 own home. Okay, then there's the bedroom. Now 00:09:06.919 --> 00:09:10.860 this room should be the safest room in the house, 00:09:11.139 --> 00:09:15.220 but often it's not. A bed that's too high or 00:09:15.220 --> 00:09:19.139 too low can make transfers difficult. A lamp 00:09:19.139 --> 00:09:22.220 may be too far away. You have to overreach to 00:09:22.220 --> 00:09:25.700 get to it. Shoes may be left by the bed in a 00:09:25.700 --> 00:09:28.500 way that creates a tripping risk during nighttime 00:09:28.500 --> 00:09:32.159 bathroom trips. Blankets may drag on the floor. 00:09:32.860 --> 00:09:36.279 A phone may not be within reach. And the path 00:09:36.279 --> 00:09:39.139 to the bathroom from the bed may have poor lighting 00:09:39.139 --> 00:09:42.899 or obstacles. These things sound small when we 00:09:42.899 --> 00:09:45.799 talk about them one by one, but all of these 00:09:45.799 --> 00:09:50.320 small things easily can add up. That is how accidents 00:09:50.320 --> 00:09:53.379 happen, not always because of one major failure, 00:09:53.799 --> 00:09:56.379 more often because of several little problems 00:09:56.379 --> 00:09:59.779 coming together at the wrong moment. And as an 00:09:59.779 --> 00:10:02.980 occupational therapist working in rehabilitation, 00:10:02.980 --> 00:10:06.500 I can tell you that so many seniors that I worked 00:10:06.500 --> 00:10:10.059 with, so many of my patients, came to me because 00:10:10.059 --> 00:10:14.759 of accidents, because of these compiled little 00:10:14.759 --> 00:10:18.379 issues together. So how do you spot these home 00:10:18.379 --> 00:10:22.139 hazards? Well, you start by slowing down and 00:10:22.139 --> 00:10:25.080 looking at the home with fresh eyes. Try to notice 00:10:25.080 --> 00:10:28.139 what a visitor would notice. Better yet, notice 00:10:28.139 --> 00:10:31.960 what an older body would notice. I heard a beautiful 00:10:31.960 --> 00:10:35.779 quote today. It said, let's see if I can remember 00:10:35.779 --> 00:10:40.990 it. Older people, old people can easily recall 00:10:40.990 --> 00:10:44.769 or know what it feels like to be young. But young 00:10:44.769 --> 00:10:48.169 people have no idea what it feels like to be 00:10:48.169 --> 00:10:51.590 old. So I know that it can be difficult to try 00:10:51.590 --> 00:10:54.909 to imagine yourself as an old person if you're 00:10:54.909 --> 00:10:57.970 walking through your home. But if you have someone 00:10:57.970 --> 00:11:02.750 in mind, that may help. Is there enough room? 00:11:02.750 --> 00:11:05.169 So look around. Is there enough room to turn? 00:11:05.320 --> 00:11:08.440 Is there something sturdy to hold on to? Is the 00:11:08.440 --> 00:11:11.820 light where it is needed? Is the most used item 00:11:11.820 --> 00:11:15.659 the easiest to reach? Does the space support 00:11:15.659 --> 00:11:18.919 independence or does it quietly fight against 00:11:18.919 --> 00:11:22.879 it? Watch daily routines if you can. Notice how 00:11:22.879 --> 00:11:26.059 someone gets out of bed. Are they struggling? 00:11:26.240 --> 00:11:29.200 Is it easy? How they step into the shower? How 00:11:29.200 --> 00:11:31.799 they carry a plate to the table? How they reach 00:11:31.799 --> 00:11:34.620 for a pan? How they walk when they're tired, 00:11:35.000 --> 00:11:38.279 distracted, or in a hurry? That is often when 00:11:38.279 --> 00:11:41.820 the real hazards show up. In occupational therapy, 00:11:42.000 --> 00:11:45.080 we did not just look at the person. Our role 00:11:45.080 --> 00:11:49.580 was to look at the fit between the person, the 00:11:49.580 --> 00:11:53.940 task, and the environment. That matters so much 00:11:53.940 --> 00:11:56.940 in aging in place. A home does not need to be 00:11:56.940 --> 00:12:01.000 perfect. It just needs to support the person 00:12:01.000 --> 00:12:05.059 living in it. And the good news is this. Many 00:12:05.059 --> 00:12:07.840 hidden hazards can be fixed with very simple 00:12:07.840 --> 00:12:12.860 changes. Better lighting. Clear pathways. Grab 00:12:12.860 --> 00:12:15.580 bars in the right places. They're not just for 00:12:15.580 --> 00:12:18.600 bathrooms, you know. Safer furniture height. 00:12:19.019 --> 00:12:22.759 Frequently used items moved within easy reach, 00:12:23.320 --> 00:12:27.159 non -slip surfaces, better organization. Sometimes 00:12:27.159 --> 00:12:29.620 even one thoughtful change can make a person 00:12:29.620 --> 00:12:33.460 feel more secure right away. If you're listening 00:12:33.460 --> 00:12:35.860 to this today and you're wondering whether your 00:12:35.860 --> 00:12:38.500 own home or a loved one's home may have hidden 00:12:38.500 --> 00:12:42.320 hazards, trust that instinct. You do not need 00:12:42.320 --> 00:12:46.100 to wait for a fall or a close call before making 00:12:46.100 --> 00:12:49.039 improvements. No one wants to get that call at 00:12:49.039 --> 00:12:52.539 2 a .m. that someone has fallen and injured themselves. 00:12:53.240 --> 00:12:56.960 In fact, the best time to make a home safer is 00:12:56.960 --> 00:13:00.820 before something goes wrong. Take one room this 00:13:00.820 --> 00:13:04.440 week, just one. Walk through it slowly. Look 00:13:04.440 --> 00:13:07.080 for the things that are easy to miss and ask 00:13:07.080 --> 00:13:10.580 yourself what feels awkward, dim, slippery, crowded, 00:13:10.860 --> 00:13:14.159 or hard to reach. Those are your clues and start 00:13:14.159 --> 00:13:17.360 there. You do not have to fix everything in one 00:13:17.360 --> 00:13:20.779 day. You just have to begin noticing. And once 00:13:20.779 --> 00:13:23.700 you start noticing, you can make changes that 00:13:23.700 --> 00:13:26.960 protect safety, support, independence, and bring 00:13:26.960 --> 00:13:32.320 more peace of mind to everyone for everyday life. 00:13:32.720 --> 00:13:36.019 And honestly, ask your physician for a referral 00:13:36.019 --> 00:13:39.480 for an occupational therapist or a home safety 00:13:39.480 --> 00:13:43.429 assessment. That person can come in and can walk 00:13:43.429 --> 00:13:47.169 with you through the entire home and show you 00:13:47.169 --> 00:13:50.210 some of the hidden hazards that may be right 00:13:50.210 --> 00:13:54.909 there in front of you and then help you to correct 00:13:54.909 --> 00:13:58.029 them, to fix them. All right. I want to thank 00:13:58.029 --> 00:14:01.129 you so much for being here with me today. I hope 00:14:01.129 --> 00:14:03.330 that this episode helped you think about home 00:14:03.330 --> 00:14:06.600 safety in a new and practical way. And please, 00:14:06.759 --> 00:14:09.679 for more tips and helpful resources, visit our 00:14:09.679 --> 00:14:13.299 website at seniorsafetyadvice .com. And if you're 00:14:13.299 --> 00:14:16.139 looking for aging in place professionals like 00:14:16.139 --> 00:14:18.860 occupational therapists and home safety assessments, 00:14:19.340 --> 00:14:23.440 be sure to visit our other website at aginginplacedirectory 00:14:23.440 --> 00:14:27.600 .com. Subscribe to our podcast or YouTube channel 00:14:27.600 --> 00:14:30.259 because that helps us to get the word out to 00:14:30.259 --> 00:14:32.460 even more people who could use the information. 00:14:32.940 --> 00:14:36.139 And until next time, this is Esther Kane wishing 00:14:36.139 --> 00:14:39.340 you safety, comfort and confidence at home.