Senior Helpers In Home Elder Care of Fairfield County and Litchfield

County, Connecticut, Cautions Families to Look Out for Elderly for

Home Safety Awareness Month
The home is the second most common location of accidental, fatal injuries

(Sandy Hook, Connecticut – June 2011) – One third of all injuries in the United States happen
accidentally at home. Seniors over the age of 70 are among the highest risk group of
unintentional home injury, both fatal and non-fatal. Senior Helpers of Fairfield County and
Litchfield County, Connecticut (CT), one of the leading in-home providers of senior care in
western Connecticut , is promoting June as Home Safety Awareness Month.

“Seniors over the age of 80 are twenty times more likely (than the younger generation) to have
an accident at home turn deadly,” says Gus Thanasoulis with Senior Helpers of Fairfield County
and Litchfield County, Connecticut (CT). “Just like you baby proof your home for an infant, you
must take extra steps to provide a save home environment for your elderly loved one.  This isn’t
difficult, but, oftentimes, it takes a trained eye to recognize danger zones for the elderly; that’s
how our caregivers can help.”

Top Five Leading Causes of Senior, Accidental Home Injury Death:

1. . . Falls
2. . . Fire/Burn
3. . . Poisoning
4. . . Natural/Environmental (such as extreme heat/cold or a natural disaster)
5. . . Choking/Suffocation

Fall Prevention:

Falls alone account for 52.5% of all home injury deaths for adults age 65-74. That percentage
spikes by more than 25% for seniors age 85 and older. Below are some vital tips to follow to
prevent your senior from taking a fall in or around the home:

• . . . Have handrails on BOTH sides of stairs and grab bars in bathrooms.

........1/3 of households in America with stairs DO NOT have banisters or handrails.
........Only 19% of households in America have grab bars in tubs/showers.
• . . . Have a lot of light at the top and bottom of stairs. Also, keep hallways well lit.
• . . . Paint the bottom basement step white to make it more visible.
• . . . Secure rugs to the floor to prevent tripping.
• . . . Outside – be sure to check steps and walkways for loose bricks, cement or stone.

Fire/Burn Prevention:

• . . . Always stay in the kitchen while cooking. And, roll up your sleeves when
cooking/baking.
Senior Helpers In Home Elder Care of Fairfield County and Litchfield
County, Connecticut, Cautions Families to Look Out for Elderly for
Home Safety Awareness Month
• . . . Keep things that can burn, such as dishtowels or curtains, at least three feet from
the range.
• . . . Test fire alarms monthly. Install fire alarms on every level of your home,
specifically near or inside all bedrooms.
• . . . Consider having a fire sprinkler system installed in your home.
• . . . Keep outside grills at least 10 feet away from the house and any bushes.
• . . . Keep space heaters at least three feet away from anything that can burn.
• . . . Have chimneys, fireplaces, stoves and central furnaces inspected once a year.
Clean as needed. Keep a glass or metal screen in front of the fireplace.
• . . . Keep your water heater set at 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Remember, seniors have
thinner skin than middle-aged adults and can burn more easily.

“Studies show that seniors would much rather live at home versus in a nursing home, so home
safety is the key to accident prevention,” says Thanasoulis of Senior Helpers of Fairfield County
and Litchfield County, Connecticut (CT). “Sometimes seniors may take offense if family
members try to safety proof their home. That’s why it often makes sense to bring in a third
party, like a professional caregiver, to make changes so there are no hard feelings in the
family.”

Sources: Home Safety Council, State of Home Safety Report, D.C. Firefighters Burn Foundation

Media Contact: Gus Thanasoulis, (860) 436-6800, gthanasoulis@seniorhelpers.com

For more information about Senior Helpers, please visit:

http://www.seniorhelpers.com/location/0904

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About Senior Helpers:

Senior Helpers provides many in-home, caregiving services for the elderly in the Brookfield,
Ridgefield, Trumbull, Southbury, New Milford, Litchfield areas.  We offer extensive in-home
health care services for seniors who embrace their independence and the personal dignity that
goes with it.  Our in-home care services are provided by bonded and insured caregivers all of
whom pass a national background check.

If a senior family member needs in-home care services in Fairfield County or Litchfield County,
we are an excellent choice with exemplary references.  In-home care is the compassionate
choice for your elderly loved ones' continued independent living. We promise we will do our
best to make it a positive experience for them and you.  For more information, please visit:
http://seniorhelpers.com/location/0904.