Safety at Home (Aging) « Aging Issues

Safety Issues for Elderly People at Home

• Elderly Mobility Challenges and Falling Out of Bed (Elder Care Blog – 10/4/09)
  Mobility issues in general are misunderstood and lack appropriate solutions to address the problem. One issue is why do people fall out of bed and why is it such a healthcare mystery. You may wonder how beds and bed rails equal a mobility issue until you understand a century old misconception.
• Family Claims Comcast Let Grandma Bleed To Death On Thanksgiving (The Consumerist – 10/28/10)
  What happens when you have phone service through Comcast and you dial 0 for the operator in an emergency? A family in Florida claims that Comcast's negligence killed their grandmother. The elderly woman bled to death next to her phone while waiting for the Comcast operator and emergency services to figure out where she lived.
• Graceful Aging
  Graceful Aging is a television show designed to promote living safe, healthy, and dignified. Each episode focuses on a single topic important to older adults and those concerned. Driving for older adults, home safety, fall prevention, dementia issues, marriage and dating are samples of past shows. Each show is guided towards practical useful information by host and producer Gregory Bator. "Our goal for every show is to enhance and improve an older adult's life. Spouses, family members, and friends often struggle with aging issues. We tackle and unravel those struggles," says Bator.
• Safe at Home? Developing Effective Criminal Background Checks and Other Screening Policies for Home Care Workers
  AARP’s Public Policy Institute released a report on federal and state approaches to background check screening of home care workers to protect vulnerable adults from harm. (From the link above you can link to the full report and a two-page summary). It includes a 50-state statutory chart.
• Holidays a Time You May Discover Your Aging Parent Needs Help
  Many people visit an aging parent who they haven't seen for several months and begin to notice signs that their parent may need support and assistance.
• Home Safety: How Well Does Your Home Meet Your Needs? (AARP)
  A caregiving checklist.
• When the Meal Won't Go Down (NY Times – 4/21/10)
  When an older person regularly gags or chokes in the middle of a meal, it’s obvious that there’s a problem. But what of the more subtle symptoms of trouble while eating?