Preparing Your Home for In-Home Care

Getting the house prepared to start in home care services for a loved one can be a bit of a chore. There are many things to consider when prepping the home for a loved one to start receiving home care assistance. You want the house to be a safe place for them where they will find things familiar and easy to complete their regular routine. Many times this means reorganizing the rooms of your house to make each space as “accident-proof” as possible. There are many different guidelines to follow in home care assistance depending on your loved one’s condition and abilities.

To make sure that all of your bases have been covered, it is a good idea to go through the house, room by room, with your home care agency and make a checklist of things to consider. Here are some ideas to consider; but note that not all of these suggestions will fit your individual situation.

Entry Way and Home Exit

• Are people able to enter and leave the home and apartment easily?
• Are all railings secure?
• Is there high visibility when visitors come and go?
• Is there an easy emergency plan in place for exiting the building quickly?

Living areas

• Are walking pathways clear of clutter and mess?
• Is your home furniture easy to get in and out of? If not, consider investing in chairs with straight backs, armrests, and firm seats. 
• Are televisions and radios easy to manage and control?
• Are light switches easy to turn off and on? If not, consider touchable lamps.

Kitchen

• Are all appliances functional and easy to use?
• Are faucets and sinks easy to use? If not, consider levers that make accessibility easy for users.
• Is the refrigerator and freezer easy to open and close?
• Are all cabinets easy to open and close?
• Is there ample room to work and maneuver through the kitchen?
• Are all utensils and cooking supplies easy to access?

Bedroom

• Are doorways easy to access and move through?
• Is it easy to get in and out of bed? If not, consider electric beds
• Is there a light within reaching distance of the bed? 
• Is there a phone easily accessible in case of emergency?
• Is there a clean and clear path to the bathroom?

These are the types of lists and considerations that you and your home care agency are going to want to consider when preparing your house for in home care.