A Commercial Contractor Suggests Adding These 5 Safety Elements to Senior Living Facilities in Queens, NY Area
Senior living facilities offer residents a comfortable home environment that includes necessary services and amenities, especially for seniors with chronic health problems. Senior living communities need to balance independence, livability, and safety; and safety is the primary facilitator of independence and comfortable, livable space. If you are building or renovating senior housing, a commercial contractor suggests adding these 5 safety elements to senior living facilities in Queens, NY.
Related: What Senior Living Facilities Should Look For in a General Contractor in Manhattan, NY Area
While most seniors would prefer to spend their golden years aging at home, this is often not the safest choice. Even seniors without chronic health challenges may become too frail and weak to continue managing a household. Some in-home modifications can help: elements such as single-floor living, wheelchair-accessible entries, easily reachable controls, grab bars in bathtubs, and more make a person’s primary residence safer. However, these modifications are not always simple, and they may come at a substantial cost. According to the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University, about a quarter of elderly homeowners have had to improve accessibility and safety in their homes through extensive and costly renovations.
Once a senior reaches the point where independence comes at the cost of safety, moving to an assisted living facility is a popular option; even if a home has been retrofitted with safety features, there is still the risk of falls and not being able to call for assistance in case of an accident.
State and national standards for senior living apply and regulate the design and building of senior housing facilities. Here are some of the safety features that are required:
1. Physical Safety Enhancements
Slips and fall accidents are the most common type of injury among seniors in assisted living facilities. Senior living facilities should include non-slip surfaces (including in showers); ramps (not just for wheelchairs, but for any resident who has trouble with stairs); hallway handrails, low-entry or walk-in showers; grab bars in bathrooms and showers; lever-style door handles; wider halls and doorways; flat thresholds; clearly marked elevation changes including steps; easily reachable electrical switches; and bright lighting contribute to safety and therefore a sense of independence for residents.
If the facility includes outdoor space, the same safety measures should apply. Non-slip pavers, handrails, and gentle elevation changes (ramps) allow residents to enjoy time outdoors without fears of tripping, slipping, or falling.
One common tripping hazard is electrical cords. Additional outlets can reduce the clutter of extension cords.
2. Communications
The ability to reach facility staff in the event of a fall means the installation of emergency call systems located within individual residences as well as indoor and outdoor public areas, allowing residents to call for help no matter where they are.
3. Security
For memory care residents, private no-exit outdoor areas and secure doorways can prevent residents from wandering. Visitor management systems that prevent visitors from accessing the entire facility (restricting visitors to their family’s residence or family meeting rooms) as well as video surveillance systems help keep residents safe.
Video surveillance systems and emergency communications systems throughout the facility can also help prevent elder abuse and crime.
4. On-Site Medical Clinics
In-house clinics staffed with trained medical personnel, featuring exam rooms and basic urgent care equipment can give residents access to immediate care, without the stress and lost time of hospital or urgent care clinic visits.
5. Evacuation
Wide and unobstructed doorways and hallways, sturdy grab rails, non-slip surfaces, low-pile carpeting, bright lighting, and residences in close and easy access to emergency exits will facilitate the evacuation of residents in case of an emergency.