Organizing for the Elderly - Part I

Keep rooms clutter free

Are you caring for an elderly parent or relative?  We are, and a dear friend asked me to discuss organizing a home with the elderly in mind. The most important thing is safety: arm them with a panic button, get coffee maker, toaster, and all small appliances that automatically turn off after a short while, have them use a microwave to warm-up food, and if they insist on cooking get an induction cooktop, install smoke and gas detectors and “fall-proof” entire house.

Induction cooktops are ideal, they don't get hot and stop working once liquids dry

How many of you have parents that insist on living in their own place? My mother does, and we worry about her constantly. She is also attached to her stuff refusing to let go of it; so, I am the bad guy who periodically goes there removing what she doesn’t need or use. We all get attached to sweet memories, but clutter is dangerous for the elderly.
Each visit to mom is an organizing trip for me. I will share some thoughts in three parts, hoping you will also share useful ideas and suggestions on how to keep our home safe for our elderly.

• Have their room next to the bathroom, with shower not a bathtub to avoid falls
• Remove all items they can trip on such as rugs without grip and unnecessary furniture

Avoid having rugs, they are a tripping hazard

Have a clear path from bedroom to bathroom with darkness activated night lights

Create safe and cozy spaces, separate little corners for variety

• Create safe and cozy spaces, separate little corners, to give them variety: TV space, reading corner next to a bookcase; keeping in mind what they love or miss from their home: favorite books, arts and craft, photo albums, gardening time, etc.

Different spaces for different activities

• Keep place clutter-free with designated spaces for different activities, and supplies organized in small baskets and plastic containers. Make everything easy to reach, to avoid falls.
• Keep their medicine organized in shelves, highly visible, with big labels to avoid mistakes.
• They need people to talk to, family and friends can rotate their visits; it can be fun, playing table games or doing arts and crafts they enjoy.

Avoid pointy corners whenever possible

• Have comfortable chairs, and rounded corner furniture, so they don’t bruise. It is sad to find a loved one with bruises!