Home sweet home can be a place rife with danger for seniors, as statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show over 25% of Americans over age 65 experience a fall every year, most often at their residence. While physical factors such as weak lower body strength, problems with balance and vitamin D deficiency contribute to the risk of falling, offering seniors safe alternatives to everyday tasks can help prevent injuries.
Despite the risks of living unassisted, many seniors prefer to be in their homes rather than moving in with a relative or relocating to a senior living facility. Finding ways to assist them with everyday activities and tasks can help them maintain their independence safely while giving their loved ones peace of mind.
As seniors age, family members often pitch in to help with things like shopping, meal prep, personal care and housekeeping. However, as their needs change, caring for them in this capacity can be increasingly difficult, especially for those familial caretakers juggling other factors like geographic distance, career demands and other obligations.
Luckily, with the rising popularity of on-demand services, delivery companies and mobile technologies, supporting seniors and outsourcing everyday tasks has never been easier. Serving somewhat as an extension of their support systems, seniors can now incorporate some of these service providers into their routines, avoiding potential falls and injuries altogether. In fact, many of these services cater to the older population, offering “high-touch” senior support telephone lines to less tech savvy seniors who might not be as comfortable using an app, a smartphone, or a computer.
Here are a few of the most common everyday tasks that seniors can now easily outsource in an effort to avoid falls at home:
- Laundry – Laundry poses one of the greatest risks for seniors at home. Washers and dryers tend to be located in the basement or in a closet that requires navigating stairs or uneven surfaces to access. Carrying laundry baskets filled with clothes can cause tripping, loss of balance, and physical exhaustion. Transferring wet clothes from the washer to the dryer can be physically stressful for frail seniors. Outsourcing laundry is an easy and affordable way to help seniors avoid the risk of falling and injury. For example, SudShare is a nationwide on-demand laundry service that offers pickup and delivery services with a simple call to SudShare’s Senior Support Line.
- Meal preparation and grocery shopping – Delivery services for groceries abound along with businesses curating entire meals or providing “meals in a box” with fresh ingredients and simple recipes. Dietary restrictions, such as diabetes and high cholesterol, can easily be accommodated by these meal services. Keeping nutrient-dense foods on hand and readily available to seniors can enhance their health and overall well-being.
- Pet care – Many senior citizens enjoy the company of furry companions; however, caring for them does pose some risk. Dog-walking services can keep pooches healthy and regularly exercised, without requiring the senior owners to face the elements or potentially dangerous grassy terrains and uneven sidewalks. Groomers can bathe dogs and cats safely and prevent seniors slipping on wet bathroom floor tiles.
- Lawn care – Tending to a lawn or garden can be hard, physical work for any homeowner, and proves particularly difficult for seniors. The struggle can be avoided altogether with a monthly mow by a more able-bodied professional, either from a gardening company or a local teen looking to earn some pocket money.
Asking for help can be difficult for seniors, not only because of their pride but many fear that doing so can open the door to being moved into a care facility. But taking the time to identify potential fall risks is a critical first step to keeping seniors safe at home. Every few months, walk through the senior’s daily and weekly routine and evaluate how outsourcing certain tasks might help them stay safe and independent.
Mort Fertel is the co-Founder and CEO of SudShare, an on-demand laundry service serving clients in over 400 cities nationwide.
