A Room-by-Room Guide to Making Your Dad’s House Safe When Epilepsy is a Concern

Epilepsy affects children and adults. According to the Epilepsy Foundation, the neurological disorder affects 3.4 million people in the U.S. It’s estimated that 1 out of every 26 people will develop the disorder at some point in their life.

Caregiver in Frisco TX: Epilepsy and Home Safety

There is no cure, but medications may help. The Epilepsy Foundation states that medications do not help approximately a third of those diagnosed with the disorder. If your dad is diagnosed with epilepsy, there are things you can do to make his home safer. You may not be able to stop a seizure, but you can prevent injuries acquired during a seizure. Here’s a room-by-room guide.

Bathroom.

Make sure the bathroom is equipped with grab bars in and outside of the shower. A shower seat is a good idea if your dad has seizures frequently. The shorter the distance he would fall to the floor, the better. Grab bars should also be installed near the toilet.

Bedroom.

Install a bed rail to keep your dad from falling out of bed. Carpeting is better flooring as it offers a little more padding than wood or laminate flooring. Try to keep furnishings away from the path your dad uses to go in and out of his room and to his bed.

Entry/Stairs.

If your dad has a seizure on the stairs, the fall may lead to broken bones, bruises, and cuts. You need to make sure the stairs have a secure rail for him to grab. Carpeted stairs are going to be a little gentler than wooden or tiled stairs. Your dad may want to crawl up the stairs or scoot down them on his behind in order to lessen an injury if he does have a seizure on the stairs.

Another idea is to put in a stair lift that has a seat belt. If something happens, he’s strapped in the seat and won’t fall down the stairs. You could also have a caregiver by his side for trips up and down the stairs.

Kitchen.

Kitchen floors are usually tile, linoleum, or wood. If your dad falls, the impact may be greater than if he was on carpet. You should keep clutter in the kitchen to a minimum. Try to avoid sharp corners on the countertop of an island or open counter area.

Living Room/Family Room.

Avoid glass table tops. If your dad falls, he could smash a glass-topped end table or coffee table. Put padding on any edges of a table. Many baby stores sell foam padding that slips onto table edges.

If your dad does have epilepsy, keep him safe by hiring caregivers. When he takes a shower, he can talk to his caregiver. That person knows that if he stops talking there could be an issue.

If you or an aging loved-one are considering caregiver services in Frisco, TX, please contact the caring staff at Custom Caregivers today. Call us at (972) 702-7988.

Sources:

https://www.epilepsy.com/learn/about-epilepsy-basics/what-epilepsy

https://www.epilepsy.com/learn/about-epilepsy-basics/facts-about-seizures-and-epilepsy