 |
Safety can be of particular concern for our Senior population. Senior adults are the fastest growing segment of the population. Approximately 13% of all Americans are over age 65. Statistically, persons in this age group are twice as likely to die a fire related death than the general population. Persons age 75 and older are three times as likely to suffer a fire related death and persons age 85 and older are four times more likely. The three leading causes of home deaths among the senior population are:
- Trips and falls in the home
- Fires caused by portable space heaters
- Smoking and cooking fires
Sixty percent of fatal falls in the senior population occur in the home, and falls account for 87% of all bone fractures in the elderly.
Safety Tips for Seniors
Safety Around the Home:
- Have at least one working smoke alarm
- Test the smoke alarm once a month
- Change the battery once a year
- Have a working light outside your front and back doors
- Have emergency information readily available
- Clearly label all medicine
In Case of Fire:
- Know where the exits are
- Practice getting out safely
- Crawl low under smoke
- Call 9-1-1 from a neighbor's house
If Your Clothes Catch on Fire:
- Stop, drop and roll or smother the fire with a blanket, towel or rug
- If you get burned, seek medical attention
Smoking:
- Use a large non-tip ashtray
- Empty ashes often
- Dampen ashes before emptying into a garbage can
- Empty ashes into a metal container
- Do not smoke when using oxygen
- Do not smoke in bed
In the Bathroom:
- Use non-slip rugs
- Have a grab bar, rubber mats or non-slip strips in your tub or shower
- Do not have electronic items plugged-in where they could fall into water (like a bath-tub, shower or sink)
In the Kitchen:
- Keep lids near by when cooking
- If your pan catches on fire, carefully slide a lid on the pan and turn off the stove
- Wear clothes with short or close-fitting sleeves, when cooking
- If you leave the kitchen while cooking, turn off the stove
In the Living Room:
- Use electrical outlets whenever possible, not extension cords
- Extension cords should be used on a temporary basis and MUST be UL approved
- Use furniture with safet sturdy legs
- Keep the floor clear of obstacles, so trips and falls are avoided
In the Bedroom:
- Keep floor uncluttered to prevent trips and falls
- Keep house keys, eyeglasses, a flashlight and a telephone next to your bed
Concerns for Seniors with Disabilities
Some of the alternative emergency recommendations for seniors with disabilities include:
- If a persons clothes catch on fire and the person is unable to "stop,drop and roll" to smother the flames, he or she can use a blanket, rug, towel, etc. to smother the flames
- In case of a fire not in the disabled persons apartment or in the nearby vicinity, or if the persons mobility is impaired and are unable to exit, the suggestion is to signal from a window by hanging a towel, sheet or rug near the window or shine a flashlight at the window
- If the person is able, put a rug, towel, sheet or blanket at the bottom of the door to help keep out the smoke
|
|
