More and more, Baby Boomers are becoming responsible for the safety of their parents. Here are 43 senior safety tips for full or part-time caregivers and friends and family or aging seniors. Hopefully, this list of tips will come in handy.
Seniors and Health Safety
City of Detroit: Senior Safety Tips: An article from the City of Detroit that lists safety tips for senior citizens. The tips are to help seniors be safer at home and while out in the community.
Senior Health Tips, Facts and Other Information: Health tips listed on the website for the city of Bloomington, Minnesota. Readers can click on the tip for further, more in-depth information. Seniors will find tips about eating properly, exercise, and advice about screenings and tests for good health.
The Safe Living Guide: A Guide to Home Safety for Seniors: A PDF guide from the Public Health Agency of Canada. The guide reviews facts about aging, such as changes and injuries. Readers will also find information about staying healthy, active, and safe in the home.
Safe and Healthy Travel for Seniors: An article from the Center for Disease Control discusses traveling safety for seniors. The article reviews how seniors should prepare in advance and how they can prevent injuries and stay healthy while traveling.
BLS Certification: A course that is required for most nurses and health care providers working in the senior health care field. Be sure to check to see if your nurse or doctor is certified in basic life support. This certification program is mandatory safety training for all nurses, home health aids, and certified nurses assistants (CNA’s).
Fall Proofing Your Home – Simple Changes for Home Safety: An article that explains how seniors can make their home “Fall Proof.” The article lists tips such as using non-slip strips on steps and arranging furniture for maximum walk space, in bullet list format.
Protect Your Health as you Grow Older: A guide for seniors on how to protect their health as they age. The page includes tabs that the reader can click for further information. Tabs include “Overview,” “The Basics,” and “Take Action.”
Injury Prevention Tips for Older Adults: A page on the Utah Department of Health Violence and Injury Prevention Program. The page provides a short list of tips for seniors and people caring for seniors. The tips are on how they can avoid injuries, such as falls.
Older Driver Safety: A PDF brochure about senior driving health awareness. The brochure discusses warning signs associated with vision, physical fitness, and attention and reaction time. In addition to pointing out warning signs, the brochure also advises seniors on what they should do if they become aware of them.
Scams and Crimes
Senior Fraud: A page on the National Crime Prevention Council website that reviews the increasing number of older adults and rising incidents of senior fraud. The page gives seniors tips on how they can be more aware of fraud and scams.
Fraud Target: Senior Citizens: A page on the website for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The page explains why seniors are susceptible to fraud and other schemes. Readers are also given information on different types of schemes, what they should look out for, and how they can protect themselves.
Top Ten Scams Targeting Seniors: The website for the National Council on Aging lists ten of the top scams against older adults. Scams listed included funeral, health, telemarketing, and Internet scams. The page also explains that these types of crimes can be perpetrated by strangers or family members.
Encouraging Seniors to Say No to Telemarketing Fraud: A PDF from the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. The document discusses telemarketing fraud and explains what it is. it also educates the reader on warning signs, how seniors can be protected and what family should and should not do if a senior falls victim to this type of crime.
Scams and Fraud to Look For: A page from the website of the Macomb County Prosecuting Attorney Stop Crimes Against Macomb Seniors (S.C.A.M.S.) Unit. Following a letter from the prosecuting attorney, the page discusses the financial exploitation of vulnerable adults. It also includes information on scams and frauds that seniors should be aware of, and how they can protect themselves.
Medicare Discount Card Scams: An article that explains what Medicare discount card scams are and what seniors should be aware of to spot the scam. The page also includes a “Top Five Things to Remember” list that will help seniors avoid falling victim to fraud.
Locksmith Scams on the Rise: An AARP article that warns seniors about scams involving fake locksmiths. The article gives the readers six tips to follow in order to ensure that the locksmith is not a fraud.
They Can’t Hang Up: An article that discusses why seniors are an easy target for telemarketing fraud. The article includes facts that seniors should know about telemarketing fraud and warning signs that they are a target of fraud.
Kitchen and Food Safety
Food Safety for Older Adults: A PDF guide from the Food and Drug Administration about food safety and people over the age of 65. The guide explains the importance of food safety for seniors, causes of foodborne illness, handling and cooking food safely, and symptoms of foodborne illness. Further information includes shopping advice and food dating.
Older Adults and Food Safety: A fact sheet from the United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service. This fact sheet discusses foodborne illnesses, and signs of foodborne illness. The page includes food safety topics that are important for seniors, such as safely handling food and cooking food to the correct internal temperatures. A chart listing different types of food and the correct heating temperatures is listed on the page.
For Seniors, Eat with Caution: NIH Medline Plus magazine article for seniors that discusses how to eat safely during the holiday season. The article reviews foods to avoid and lists four food safety steps that are recommended by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Food Safety for Seniors: A page on the website for Fairfax County, Virginia. The article explains why seniors are more susceptible to foodborne illnesses. On this page the reader will also find links to further articles about seniors and food safety.
MI Seniors – Food Safety: An article about seniors and food safety. It gives reasons why seniors are more susceptible to illness from food, such as failure to see an unclean kitchen due to poor vision or decreased ability to fight disease. The article also gives suggestions on how seniors can avoid foodborne illness, such as wearing glasses and keeping foods at the appropriate temperatures.
Seniors and Food Safety – What’s Cooking?: A PDF document that lists four steps that seniors should follow when cooking or otherwise preparing foods. The document lists each step in detail and includes tips such as avoiding cross-contamination and cooking to the correct temperature.
Be Safe – Seniors: Home Safety in the Kitchen: The City of Bloomington Be Safe – Seniors page includes a number of safety tips for older adults, including tips regarding the kitchen. Tips for the kitchen are listed in a bullet point format. The tips involve making the kitchen more convenient for seniors.
Elder Abuse
Elder Abuse and Neglect: A page on the non-profit resource website Helpguide.org. The page is an in-depth article on elder abuse and neglect. It explains what elder abuse is and reviews the different types of elder abuse. Readers will learn signs and symptoms of elder abuse, what they can do to prevent it and how to report it.
Elder Abuse and Neglect: In Search of Solutions: An article on elder abuse and neglect on the American Psychological Association website. The article is ten pages and includes information that explains what elder abuse is and why it happens. Readers will also find information on different issues surrounding elder abuse, such as family situations and caregiver or cultural issues. Prevention and signs are also discussed, as well as what can be done about it.
Administration on Aging – Elder Abuse: The Administration on Aging lists the different types of elder abuse, including physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. A list of warning signs are also included in the article.
What is Elder Abuse?: A listing of definitions for the different types of elder abuse. The page also reviews how big and serious a problem senior abuse is.
Preventing Elder Abuse and Neglect in Older Adults: An article that discusses different types of elder abuse and why it often goes unreported. The article advises seniors who are being abused and anyone who suspects a senior is being abused, to report it. Warning signs of abuse are listed on the page. In addition, the article includes an explanation of who is most likely to abuse seniors and which seniors are most vulnerable to abuse.
What are the Signs and Symptoms of Elder Abuse?: An article that explains what some of the common signs of elder abuse are. The list consists of six warning signs to look out for. It also warns that abuse may be difficult to detect in many cases.
Red Flags of Abuse: A PDF document that lists warning signs associated with the mistreatment of seniors and people with disabilities. The document lists types of abuse followed by the potential warning signs associated with them.
Assisted Living and Nursing Home Safety
Fast Facts – Physical Restraints: A PDF fact sheet on physical restraints. The sheet explains what they are and why they are used in nursing homes. Negative connotations of physical restraints, and who requires them for safety are also reviewed. Good care and safety practices that do not require restraints are the primary focus of the article.
Nursing Home Safety: The National Fire Protection Association reviews nursing home safety in relation to fire safety. It includes advice for families on what to look for to ensure that the nursing home is properly prepared for a fire. It also includes information for nursing homes on how to plan for fire safety.
About Nursing Home Inspections: An article on the Medicare website that discusses nursing home inspections. The inspections ensure that nursing homes meet Medicare requirements in terms of quality of service and safety.
Is Your Parent Safe in the Nursing Home?: An article that discusses steps some nursing homes take to ensure the safety of residents. This includes background checks on staff and technology that improves the level of care and safety, such as cameras.
What Caregivers Should Know About Nursing Home Care: A checklist of items that seniors and their families should look for when choosing a safe nursing home. These items include sprinkler systems, a fire evacuation plan, and carpets made of non-skid materials.
Guide to Choosing an Assisted Living Community: A PDF brochure that includes a consumer checklist. The checklist includes features to look for that can help ensure the safety of senior residents, such as good lighting, security, and handrails.
Signs of Nursing Home Neglect: An article that lists warning signs that a nursing home is neglecting or abusing seniors. The page includes ten warning signs that family, friends and loved ones should look out for.