Aging adults face a great many issues related to safety at home, especially if they’re facing cognitive health challenges. March is Poison Prevention Awareness Month, which makes it a great time to look more closely at specific issues related to household chemicals and senior safety. Home care assistance is a valuable tool for seniors and family caregivers to ensure that seniors age in place as safely as possible.

Manage Medication Properly

Seniors often take more than a few medications to manage their health issues and accidentally ingesting those medications incorrectly can lead to poisoning. It’s important for family caregivers to have tools and support that help them to manage their medication properly. This includes over-the-counter medications, too. Keeping medications in their original containers is also an important part of ensuring that seniors are protected from accidental misuse.

Store Household Chemicals Properly

Household chemicals like cleaning products and potentially toxic chemicals should always be stored properly in a way that is safe. Household chemicals should always be kept in their original containers. If aging adults could possibly use household chemicals incorrectly, it might be good to secure them in a locked cabinet. Elder care providers can help seniors to keep their homes clean and tidy, also helping them to avoid being exposed to bottles of household chemicals.

Ensure Proper Ventilation in the Home

Good ventilation is crucial for indoor air quality and good health. Proper ventilation reduces the concentration of indoor pollutants, including fumes from cleaning products. Periodically opening windows and using exhaust fans helps to keep indoor air quality high. Changing air filters regularly and using air purifiers can also help quite a bit.

Use Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Carbon monoxide is a highly deadly gas that people do not notice on their own. Carbon monoxide detectors continuously check for the presence of carbon monoxide and sound an alarm if it’s detected. It’s vital to check carbon monoxide detectors regularly and replace the batteries twice a year, just in case. Carbon monoxide detectors should be placed in key areas of the home, but especially near bedrooms.

Get Home Care Assistance

Home care assistance can be invaluable support for seniors and family caregivers when it comes to overall safety, including from household poisoning. Home care providers can help aging adults to keep their homes clean and tidy, take care of tasks like laundry, and also assist in other ways that contribute to overall well-being and quality of life. They can also help to educate family caregivers about what types of hazardous materials can pose dangers for aging adults.

Protecting seniors from household poisons means being proactive. This is a lot easier for family caregivers with the help of home care assistance. Home care providers are able to stay on top of what is happening in the home and ensure that seniors are safe and that they aren’t exposed to situations that could lead to an accidental poisoning. If something should happen, seniors have someone there who can get help for them as quickly as possible.

If you or an aging loved one are considering Home Care Assistance in San Diego, CA please contact the caring staff at A Passion for Care today. Call (858) 798-5005

A Passion for Care is a Trusted Home Care Agency serving San Diego, La Jolla, Del Mar, Rancho Bernardo, Encinitas, Oceanside, Rancho Santa Fe, Point Loma, and surrounding areas.

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Pat Melzer

Owner at A Passion for Care

Like many people in the senior care business, founder Pat Melzer was motivated by personal experience to start an in-home senior service business in 2010. After watching chronic conditions, dementia, and surgeries take over the life of her once very intelligent and lively mother-in-law, Pat saw the enormity of the need for better in-home care. Drawing on her 23 years of experience in the computer industry as a software product manager, engineering manager and computer programmer, she decided to develop best practices to build an organization that provides truly excellent, personalized care. Throughout the company’s history, Pat has been personally and professionally committed to ensuring your loved one receives the quality care they deserve. With often heroic efforts by the staff and dedicated caregivers, the vision has become a reality to be very proud of.

Making the transition to a completely new industry brought the opportunity to learn and grow, which continues still today. Pat studied Gerontology in San Diego State University’s certificate program and became licensed as a Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA), a Home Health Aide (HHA), and completed the California Certification Program for Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly (RCCFE) as a Certified Administrator. She presented workshops at Aging in America Conference four years in a row and served as Chair of the San Diego Regional Home Care Council 2019-2020 and was the education board member for several years. More recently, Pat became a Certified Senior Advisor and was a San Diego Business Journal “50 over 50 2022 Women of Influence Honoree”.

Pat and her husband Roland have lived outside San Diego in the San Pasqual Valley for over three decades. She has two children who are grown professionals and three grandchildren. Pat enjoys traveling to, and visits from, family and friends throughout the year. While at home in San Pasqual Valley, she and Roland enjoy peaceful views and exploring the surrounding valleys.

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