Safety for the New year

When we think about safety for the New Year, we think about drinking and driving, or drunken drivers. Please be safe in these areas during the holidays, but more importantly, be safe when it comes to us all getting one year older.

Yes, another year has flown by and if you are like me — a senior — it’s time to get ready for the future. Even if you don’t feel like a senior, you are. And because we are seniors, we need to be proactive about our health. Eat better, drink less and exercise more.

This alone will not stop a silly accident, though. As we get older, we don’t think about consequences of not creating a safe environment. However, all us seniors need to be proactive in our home environments. So, how do we become environmentally proactive? We need to break down key accident-prone areas in our homes. The main ones are stairs, slippery walkways and bathrooms.

1) Slippery walkways: Use mildew cleaners and be very careful when wearing dress shoes. Put down non-slip strips and walk slower.

2) Stairs: For sure, no sliding on the railing. Hold the railing. That’s what it is for. Go slower, especially down, and be extra careful if you are carrying something.

3) Bathrooms: Seventy-two percent of all seniors get hurt in the bathroom. Ninety-nine percent of these accidents are from getting in and out of the bathtub. Get rid of the bathtub. Put in a shower with handibars, a non-slip floor and a seat. Change the bathroom floor to a non-slip vinyl floor. Use handibars for towel bars and get a taller toilet. Keep it simple but safe.

There are many other ideas for the home to make it environmentally safe, and as we get older it is pretty much the smartest thing we can do. Why? Because who can afford $4,000-$15,000 a month for a care home? But more importantly, who wants to leave home?

So, become environmentally proactive. Be selfish for yourself to have a better quality of life because no one plans an accident. We turn too fast or bump something, and we are on the floor. That’s how accidents happen.

This is the best advice I, as a contractor who specializes in being environmentally proactive, can give you.

I am Matt, the owner of Tropical, and I have a showroom at 1351 S. Beretania St. Come by so we can give you ideas on how to be environmentally proactive. Get a better quality life and live your life out in your own home.

Or call Tropical at 593-2000, and we can come to your home and give you suggestions so you can have the best quality of life possible.