Picture your Aunt Jean as one of the thousands who fell victim to the silent epidemic of isolation heightened by the pandemic. Miles away, Aunt Jean Ann’s home had always been a hub of serenity. But as quiet hours stretched into lonely days, what was tranquil had turned into terrifying. But what filled us with dread was not just the seclusion she was experiencing, but the accompanying fear - the fear of a stumble or a sudden health crisis, with no one nearby to lend a helping hand. Aunt Clara’s circumstances became a stark echo of the grave concern of elderly isolation and the dire need for frequent home safety checks.

As per the National Institute on Aging, over 8 million adults aged 50 and above grapple with isolation due to living-alone, losing close friends or family, and chronic illnesses¹. But isolation is not just a plight of loneliness. It also fosters the risk of health hazards or potential accidents at home, going unnoticed in the absence of aid.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) states that every second, an older adult takes a nasty fall, making it the leading cause of injuries and subsequent fatality among older Americans². In fact, emergency departments attend to 3 million older people for fall injuries, annually².

To mitigate this risk, it's essential to conduct regular home safety checks for the elderly. By enhancing home safety, these checks can efficiently reduce the incidence of falls and other home accidents³. In line with this, we introduced a free service to support Aunt Clara’s well-being - Regularly scheduled thrice-a-day telephone calls to check up on her and help with any assistance needed.

Studies advocate for such home modifications. The Journal of Aging and Health reported a noteworthy reduction in falls by 26% following home modifications like fitting grab bars in restrooms and improving lighting⁴. Additionally, according to the Home Safety Council, senior citizens living in homes optimized for their safety were 60% less likely to experience a home accident⁵.

Innovation is another key player that aids home safety checks. Recent technological advances, such as telecare, including emergency alarms and health monitors, reduce the mortality rate in seniors by 14%⁶. In fact, our thrice-a-day telephone checks act as a proactive intervention, offering them an opportunity to seek immediate help if required.

In retrospect, Aunt Clara's experience was an alarm that served to underline the importance of ensuring the safety of our aging loved ones, not just physically but also their living environment. Equipped with the understanding that their safety is tied directly to our peace, we can strive to perfect a system where regular interaction interweaves with safety interventions to ensure that our elders are not isolated, but feel cared for and secure.

Sources:

1. National Institute on Aging - Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults ↩
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) - Important Facts about Falls ↩ ↩²
3. Home Safety Council – The State of Home Safety in America ↩
4. Journal of Aging and Health - Home modifications and fall prevention ↩
5. Home Safety Council – Seniors at Home Safety ↩
6. BMC Health Services Research - Effects of telecare for older people ↩

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