Did you recently hear a story of a family member or friend ending up in the hospital because they had a fall? After a brief stay in the hospital, they generally get admitted into a sub-acute rehab to recover.

As a Certified Aging in Place Specialist in the Northern New Jersey area, I hear this story many times a week. Usually, I get a panicked phone call from the family when they find out that their loved one is being discharged immediately, and they have no idea how to prepare the house for their loved one’s return. This makes the crisis much more stressful than it needs to be.

When I give presentations on Aging In Place & Smart Technology in Northern New Jersey (for in person) or on Zoom for any location, I always emphasize the importance of preparing your home before you have an emergency. If homes are prepared in advance, then there is a much greater chance that an accident will not occur.

I have been readying my home for me to age in place for the past five years. I moved my laundry room from the basement to my second-floor bathroom, replaced my handrails so they now go from the bottom step to the top step, and installed heating mats on my exterior stairs and walkways in the winter months to avoid falling on ice.

The modifications to prepare your home do not have to be expensive. It could mean adding an additional handrail on the staircase, adding stair tread tape to avoid slipping on the stairs, adding grab bars in the bathroom, replacing a typical towel bar with a towel bar with a grab bar built into it, and installing pull out shelves in base cabinets in your kitchen. You could also add smart technology for lighting, HVAC, electronic locks on exterior doors, as well as automatic stove shut offs.

There are so many other ways to make your home safer, so isn’t it time to get started? You are never too young to be safe in your own home!

The process is simple, and it starts with a Home Assessment.  The Home Assessment is an in- person meeting in your home to evaluate the areas that can be improved for safety.  Each home is different, and each client’s needs are different.  Part of the Home Assessment includes a written report with detailed pictures of the recommended modifications. Being proactive and prepared early is not only extremely important but it also can make life less stressful. It is much more fun to be out with your family and friends, enjoying life, than being in a hospital or rehab recovering from an injury that could have been easily prevented.

If you would like more information on how to be safer in your home or one of our comprehensive home assessments, call me at (201) 638-4410 or check out our website at www.njhmg.com.