Barrier Free Architecturals
December 31, 2011

Keeping Burglars at Bay

In this season of festivities, a lot of people, especially the elderly, tend to forget essential safety precautions and tips to prevent untoward incidents. One of these is burglary prevention. When the family comes together for the holidays, keeping the house safe from burglars must be the foremost concern. Unfortunately, this is also easily forgotten. You should know better and keep these tips, especially fit for those with disabilities and the elderly, in mind.

  1. Shut all doors and windows tightly and make sure that the locks are fastened. Most burglaries are caused by an open window or door—which is practically an open invitation to rob the house.
  2. Install deadbolt locks on the doors, with at least a one-inch throw and a reinforced strike plate. Don’t forget to install window locks on your windows as this is a common way by which burglars get into houses.
  3. To keep sliding doors secure, use a rod and place it in the track. You can also use vertical bolts to prevent burglars from lifting the doors.
  4. For the elderly with an attached garage, don’t forget to lock the door that connects to the main house. The automatic garage door mechanism works fine, but it’s always helpful to double-check.
  5. Most older people have doors or flaps for dogs and cats to entry.  Make sure the little door or flap has security features, especially if you’re leaving for an extended period of time.
  6. Having a well-lit house, even when you’re away or already sleeping, is one way to keep thieves away. There’re low-cost lighting options that you can use for this.
  7. Giving the illusion that someone’s home is another way to prevent burglars from entering the house. You can do this by turning on the radio or lighting a particular room in the house.

Happy New Year from everyone at Barrier Free Architecturals!

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December 22, 2011

3 Ways to Deal with Immobility During the Winter Season

Winter scene. Image Source: Public domain.

For older adults, the holiday season means that the number of activities that they can undertake is significantly reduced. They can no longer walk around the neighborhood in the mornings as they used to, because of the dangers on the road. Although the mobility of older adults is lessened by the winter season, this doesn’t mean that they should isolate themselves and not make good use of all the free time they suddenly have. Here are a few ways to nurture your mind and body during the holidays.

Reconnect with your friends and family

Research shows that the number of older adults who are connected through the Internet has increased. You can use this time to understand the workings of the Internet—send emails, join a social network, or play online games. You can also use this time to phone you friends and relatives or write letters to your friends.

Sharpen your mind

As most seniors have found, education and intellectual growth certainly never stop in the school. If you’re eager to expand your knowledge on any matter that interests you, you might as well drop a call to your local library; most are willing to deliver materials to seniors who are not mobile.

You can also take classes from home, ranging from subjects like current events, health education, and literature. These are often inexpensive, so you don’t have to worry much about the expenses.

Strengthen your resistance

There’s all the more reason to exercise during the winter because of your lowered body resistance. There are plenty of home exercises that you ought to try.

Also, you must take advantage of delivery services for your essentials, including medicine and groceries. It’s important to stock up on medicine and food during the holiday season. If you’re family is coming over to spend the holidays with you, you might even want to look up some healthy home recipes that you can try!

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December 15, 2011

Tips to Prevent Falls and Accidents this Winter Season

Winter steps. Image source: Tellablog.

Last week we talked about important tips to make sure that your holiday season won’t be threatened by preventable fire. This week, you ought to know important safety tips in light of the winter season. Since winter poses an increased threat of falls, frostbite, car accidents and hypothermia, older adults should be extra careful this winter season.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, older adults, those who are above 65 years old, have a 33% chance of suffering from falls every year. During winter, they also face the threat of hypothermia and frostbite than most age groups. For these reasons, older adults and their relatives must plan ahead.

Here are some important ways for older adults and people with disabilities to prepare themselves for the winter season, as suggested by the American Geriatrics Society’s Foundation for Health in Aging:

  1. Wearing non-skid sole boots is necessary when going out of the house. Older adults must also replace the rubber tip of their canes. In order to further prevent falls, it is important to stay out of sidewalks covered with snow.
  2. Knowing the symptoms of hypothermia will help in preventing it. Ashy or pale skin, having trouble breathing and walking, a slowed heart rate, a lingering tired feeling, confusion, and a general feeling of weakness. Whenever any of the following symptoms become apparent, one should immediately go back inside the house. Wearing multiple layers of clothing can help in protecting against hypothermia.
  3. Aside from wearing multiple layer of clothing, it is also important to cover every part of the body when going out in order to protect one’s self against frostbite. When any part of the body, particularly the fingers and the toes, starts to feel numb or hurt, go inside the house immediately or stay near a fireplace.
  4. In order to prevent car accidents, the American Geriatrics Society advises that older adults should always touch base with weather advisories and avoid icy roads. A first aid kit, shovel, water and snacks, and warm clothes should be prepared and easily accessible.
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December 6, 2011

Holiday Fire Safety Tips for Older Adults

The holiday season is characterized by entertainment, decorating, and a whole lot of celebration. But this doesn’t mean that you can forget all about safety.  The Merrimack Fire Rescue has a number of holiday safety tips to make sure older adults have both fun and safety during the holidays.

According to the Merrimack Fire Rescue, from 2003 to 2007, around 15,300 homes caught fire because of candles. An estimated amount of $450 million worth of property was damaged. There were an average number of 1,290 civil injured and 170 civilian deaths within such period. 4 out of 10 homes that caught fire started in the kitchen, with around half of all home fires occurring in December, January and February.

With these alarming statistics, careful preparation during Christmas is indeed necessary. Here are some important safety tips during the holiday season.

1. When decorating the home, choose holiday decorations that are flame-retardant and flame-resistant.

2. Put lit candles away from things that can easily catch fire. In fact, it would be helpful to avoid candles altogether, as they are the major cause of structure fires.

3. Check the label of the Christmas lights—make sure that they’re fit for either indoor or outdoor use. This is a mistake that often leads to fires.

4. Don’t use nails when hanging the Christmas lights, to prevent the cords from being damaged. Instead use clips to fasten the cords.

5.  When cooking, stay in the kitchen and don’t do anything else.

6. Make sure that your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors are working. Tell the guests briefly about the home fire escape plan before jumping straight into the merrymaking.

7. When choosing a Christmas tree, choose one with fresh, green needles. Make sure it doesn’t easily fall off.

8. Keep the Christmas tree away from any source of fire.

9. Put the candles in study candle holders. Avoid placing them in areas where people sleep.

10. Blow all the candles before going out or after ending the party.

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