Top Tips for Protecting Your Parent from a Fire
The thought of a fire can be terrifying and as a family caregiver you might not even want to think about something like that happening to your aging parent. House fires are relatively common, however, with nearly 400,000 occurring each year throughout the United States, and ignoring this possibility could result in your aging parent not being prepared for such an event should it occur.
Home Care Havertown PA – Top Tips for Protecting Your Parent from a Fire
It is important to understand the risk, implement safety precautions, and help your parent prepare themselves so that they will know how to respond properly should they experience a home fire in their later years.
Use these tips to protect your parent from a fire:
• Stay low. The concept of being low to the ground is not just important in terms of getting out of a building that is on fire. It is also important in terms of your parent’s location. If they live in an apartment building, try to have them in an apartment on the first floor, or as close to this floor as possible. This helps to hasten escape in the event of a fire.
• Have alarms in place. Smoke detectors are a vital step in keeping your parent aware of fires and giving them as much time as possible to get out of the house. Make sure that they have enough smoke detectors in the home, that they are positioned in such a way that they are readily noticeable from wherever in the home they may be, and that your parent can understand their alarm. If they have a hearing problem, for example, you may need to replace conventional detectors with those that use flashing lights.
• Create an escape plan. Go through your parent’s home and help them to find at least two means of escape from each room. This can give your parent greater confidence that if a fire does occur in their home, they would be able to find a way out no matter where they were.
• Ensure windows are easily opened. Keeping windows locked is an important part of home security, but if your parent cannot open the windows in their home, they may be at increased risk during a fire. Ensure that they are able to open windows easily and that any home security features such as bars have an emergency release feature.
Starting home care can be one of the best decisions that you can make during the course of your caregiver journey with them. A home care services provider can be with your aging parent on a fully customized schedule to ensure that they are getting all of the care, support, encouragement, and assistance they need to manage their individual needs, challenges, and limitations as they age in place.
A set of highly personalized services are designed to help your parent remain as safe, healthy, comfortable, and happy as possible throughout their later years while also encouraging them to live a lifestyle that is as active, engaged, and independent as possible. As their caregiver, this can give you confidence and peace of mind knowing that even if you are not about to be with your parent as often as you would like, they are still in good hands.
Sources: http://www.nfpa.org/public-education/campaigns/fire-prevention-week
https://www.usfa.fema.gov/prevention/outreach/older_adults.html
If you or an aging loved one are considering Home Care Services in Havertown PA, please contact the caring staff at True Direct Home Health Care today.
Doc, as he is called by everyone - staff, patients and clients - first experienced home health care and hospice care while as a colleg student at King's College as he cared for his mother every day while she first battled COPD and then lung cancer. It was during this time that he came to understand that caring for a patient was more than just clinical expertise.
"Admittedly, my strongest attribute is my communication skills and the simple fact that I love to help people. Even the smallest thing you can do for someone really can mean so much to them long term. In fact, it could change them forever. That's what providing quality personal home health care should be all about."
In his spare time, he cooks for homeless shelters and children's music and arts events. He also is highly involved in his local youth sports soccer academy as a coach and Board member.
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