Decorating the house for Christmas is a time honored tradition in many families. If your senior loved ones still like to decorate and make their home festive for the holiday season there are some things that they can do to enjoy holiday decorations safely. Taking some of these precautions will keep your senior parents safe in their home and give you the peace of mind of knowing that the holiday decorations that your senior parents love won’t put them at risk for falls, fires, or other disasters.
Water The Tree Regularly
Home Care Assistance Beverly Hills, CA: Christmas Tree Safety
If your senior parents get a real Christmas tree each year and absolutely won’t give up the unique smell and ambiance that comes from a real tree make sure that the tree is getting water regularly. A dry Christmas tree is a big fire hazard. You can buy your senior loved ones a self-watering tree stand or have a home care assistance provider water the tree whenever they are at the home to make sure it’s getting the water it needs.
Check All The Lights
If your parents are still using the Christmas lights they’ve had for years and refuse to buy new LED lights it’s very important to check the lights and make sure they are all working properly. If you can’t be there to check the strings of lights one by one you can have a home care assistance provider check to make sure the lights and all of the other Christmas decorations are still operational and safe for your senior parents to use. Replace any broken or burned out lights with new strings of efficient and safe LED lights.
Choose Flameless Candles
Christmas and candles go hand in hand but candles can be extremely dangerous for seniors. Instead of having traditional candles seniors should use flameless candles. Flameless candles give off the same cheery light and scent but they aren’t dangerous. Even if your senior loved one bumps into them they won’t cause any problems. And there’s no danger that your senior loved one will leave them burning because there are no flames.
Watch Out For Tripping Hazards
Holiday decorations can create big tripping hazards for seniors who may already have trouble getting around. To start with make sure the tree is in a corner or somewhere where it won’t make it difficult for anyone to walk through the room. Don’t put any garlands, lights, or other decorations in doorways or on the floor where they can become tripping hazards.
Use Smart Plugs
Smart plus are easy to use and they make it simple for seniors to turn holiday lights on and off. You can even turn off the lights yourself through a smart phone app. Your senior loved ones won’t have to mess around with timers or worry about remembering to unplug the lights when they have smart plugs. You can even use smart plugs for things like electric fireplaces. A home care assistance provider can help your senior parents set up the smart plugs and get all of their lights and electric powered holiday decorations plugged into smart plugs.