Modify the home to protect the caregiver's body. Raise the senior's bed to your waist height to eliminate bending during dressing and changing. Clear wide pathways through furniture to allow easy maneuvering of wheelchairs, and ensure the home is brightly lit to prevent caregiver trips and falls.
When families modify a home for aging in place, the focus is almost entirely on the senior's safety—installing grab bars, removing rugs, and adding ramps. However, the home environment must also be optimized for the caregiver. A home that forces the caregiver to constantly bend, squeeze through tight spaces, or lift awkwardly is an ergonomic nightmare.
The Importance of Bed Height
If you are assisting a loved one with dressing, changing incontinence briefs, or rolling them to prevent bedsores, a low bed will destroy your back. You should not have to bend in half to provide care. Consider investing in a hospital bed that can be raised and lowered electronically. When you are providing care, raise the bed to your waist level so you can work with a straight spine. When it is time for the senior to get out of bed, lower it so their feet touch the floor safely. If a hospital bed isn't an option, sturdy bed risers can permanently elevate a standard bed to a more ergonomic height.
Clearing the Workspace
Navigating a wheelchair or a Hoyer lift through a cluttered room requires awkward pushing and pulling, straining the caregiver's shoulders and wrists. Create wide, clear pathways throughout the house. Remove decorative furniture that serves no functional purpose. You need enough space to stand beside the senior's chair or bed with your feet wide apart to maintain a strong base of support.
Lighting and Accessibility
Caregivers often work in the middle of the night. Ensure there is bright, easily accessible lighting in the bedroom and bathroom to prevent you from tripping over medical equipment or slippers in the dark. A caregiver-friendly home is a safer home for everyone.
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