Hallways are often dark, long, and don’t have much going on other than serving as a connector between one part of a home to another. But that can make hallways a bit of a danger zone for your elderly family member.

Lighting Is a Huge Issue

Lighting is a big issue in every room of your senior’s home, but it’s particularly a problem in hallways because they’re often darker than the actual rooms in the house. Consider adding a motion-sensing light fixture in the hallway so that it automatically lights when someone is in the hallway. Also, double check that the lightbulbs you’re using are bright enough.

Hallways Often Lack Balance Support

Most hallways tend to be empty or have smaller tables in them, which means that there’s not a lot there to offer support if your senior loses her balance. Consider installing grab bars in the hallway to give her something to grip for some extra support.

Hallways Are an Excellent Spot for Smoke Detectors

Having smoke detectors in a hallway can give your elderly family member a little more warning that she’s in danger if something should happen. This is especially true if your elderly family member prefers to sleep with her bedroom door closed. An alarm in the hallway will activate more quickly than one in her closed bedroom.

Flooring Can Be a Problem

It’s also important to look at the flooring in that part of the house. If it is slick or could cause a tripping hazard, it’s time to look at changing that flooring to make it safer. That might mean replacing the carpet or putting a non-slip covering in the hallway.

Hallways Might Collect Clutter

Sometimes hallways are clutter magnets and that’s a pretty big problem, too. Look for ways to reduce clutter, either by removing existing furniture from the hallway or developing a “clutter catch” strategy at one or both ends of the hallway. These solutions can keep your elderly family member from having issues with stuff that might build up along the length of the hallway.

If your senior needs extra help keeping up with some of these situation, elderly care providers can help you to put solutions in place that make hallways in your senior’s home as safe as possible. They can also help you to spot other issues that need correcting sooner rather than later in order to keep her as safe as you can.

If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring Elderly Care in Greenville, SC, contact Heart of the Carolinas Home Care at 864-991-3116.  Providing Home Care Services in Greenville, Simpsonville, Greer, Anderson, Spartanburg, Mauldin, Seneca, Laurens, Charleston, Columbia and the surrounding areas.

Excerpt: Hallways can be a trouble spot in your senior’s home.

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Edward Harrison

Founder at Heart of the Carolinas

Edward Harrison founded the Heart of the Carolinas Homecare in 2007 when he saw there was a need for caregivers that provide non-medical home care services, at a price that most people could afford. It was standard in the industry to require hourly minimums and it was common to be assigned a caregiver, not matched with one based on your individual personal needs. Edward understood that to make a successful relationship between caregiver and client, skills were not enough, personality and compatibility plays as much a role as do skills.

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