![Furniture That's Green and Safe for Seniors]( "Furniture That's Green and Safe for Seniors") Keeping seniors safe at home has become a top priority for millions of Americans and their elderly loved ones. According to a recent survey by the American Association of Retired People (AARP), most seniors want to remain in their own homes as long as possible as they grow older. But this desire to age in familiar surroundings requires improvements aimed at keeping seniors safe at home. Following eco-friendly guidelines can accomplish this. It requires one to create an environment that's comfortable, convenient, green and safe for these golden years.
Unstable furniture, can lead to accidents at any age, but particularly with the elderly. Try replacing older chairs with sturdy, long-lasting bamboo or FSC certified woods. These will keep the person sitting inside the chair safe from any broken bones. Elevated platform beds are difficult to get into and can lead to an unexpected fall. Use a bed only as high as necessary. Try to get one that is made from renewable materials that also support their bones well for a comfortable, safe rest. If you need a step stool around the house for hard to reach places, make sure it has a firm-footed design and never substitute a chair to reach high spots.
Make sure shelves are firmly attached to the wall. Strong woods such as FSC-certified oak are great to use. Furniture should not be too bulky or have sharp corners. Try a Feng Shui design and choose round or oval tables. Supposedly they allow for better energy flow, but from a practical stand point they are just safer. Use natural materials that won’t require much upkeep.
Even though lighting isn’t necessarily furniture, make sure that there are reliable, eco-friendly lights in the home. Night lights are a good idea for senior homes. You can get light detector night lights that automatically turn on when there is no light with LED lights. Have LED flashlights handy in case the lights go out. Candles are generally a bad idea for seniors, but you can get natural herb sachets if they enjoy the fragrance of a scented candle.
As seniors spend more time indoors, they become susceptible to heating system dangers like carbon monoxide poisoning and gas leaks. To be safe, make sure heating systems are professionally serviced at least once per year. Most utility companies have programs that can assist. Plus, install a carbon monoxide detector near the bedroom. Carbon monoxide is the number one cause of accidental poisoning deaths and cannot be detected without a certified detector. Also if there are repairs to be done, such as refinishing furniture, use low-VOC finishes so that indoor air quality is better.
Keeping a safe senior home is rather simple. Less is more because there are fewer hazards to deal with. Having natural, green materials requires less upkeep and improves the quality of the air for those that spend more time indoors.
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