When choosing a home for retirement, aside from the facility locations and activities, there are some safety features that you may want to consider. Of course, most facilities have normal safety elements such as railings and ramps. However, there are other design elements that can be very beneficial. Here are some ways that certain design elements in a potential facility can help to ensure your overall safety in a retirement home.
Customized Furnishing Heights
The placement and height of things such as drawers, countertops, or cabinets, can have a great impact on your safety at a retirement facility. These things should be reachable without you having to use a step stool or overextend yourself. Heavy furniture should also be properly anchored. Inaccessible furniture and cabinetry could result in a fall. Also, if you are limited in mobility and require the use of either a wheelchair or a walker, your ability to access cabinets and other furnishings when using your devices should be considered as well.
Wide Open Spaces
In the same vein, if you are required to use a wheelchair or walker, there should be enough room to do so safely. Walkers, wheelchairs, and other ambulatory devices require more room to accommodate them and their users, making it important for doorways and hallways to be 32 and 36 inches wide, respectively. In order for you to achieve the most maneuverability in your new home, the floor plan should be one that is open and spacious. Doorways, sleeping quarters and common areas such as walkways should have ample room to maneuver mobility devices easily so as to ensure a safe environment for seniors. Accessibility is one of the most important factors when choosing a safe place to live.
Disaster Preparedness
Regardless of what region of the country you live in, there is always a possibility of a natural disaster. The facility you choose should have a disaster preparedness plan. Check for properly secured structures such as wall reinforcements, window protection and a back-up generator. If you need regular oxygen or any other equipment that requires electricity, a back-up generator is one of the most important items to consider in your choice of a facility. These are just some of the things that you may want to consider in your choice of a retirement home. Safety is very important on the inside as well as the outside. Therefore, secured access is a must as well.
The facility that you choose will be your new home, and just as you would want your home to be safe and secure, your retirement home should be as well.
Read more: 10 Ways To Find Your Purpose And Meaning In Retirement after Career Life
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