What have you done to make the home safe/safer as we age?
 

I know we need to add grab bars, but am curious where/why from some who have already done it.

My current focus is mainly the master bath/shower/tub/potty.

Aren't they all the same???

Grab bars and taking my time.

We added under cabinet lighting, a UPS for the electric recliners, additional fire/smoke detectors (garage and laundry room). Added on grab bar in the walk in shower years ago. We have 5 wireless landline phones so we are always close to a phone. Added weather alert radio a few years ago, and made a plan for severe weather.

Have a circle of friends that check-in everyday with a Text & and a set time! Lever style door handles, grab bars and keep a cell phone handy! Keep your front door unlocked so the Paramedics can enter your home easier...

When buying a house we only looked for showers that were walk in with zero lip to get in and out. That is all we have done.

Re: front door unlocked
Yet another issue with my wife not worth fighting or even discussing.
Your door lock, security etc. We assume someone breaking into your home will care about damage to your paint etc. Simply that is not the case. Fast in fast out is the only goal.

My wife insists we lock the screen door on the birdcage every night.

Grab bars. Be sure they are properly installed. If steel framing it requires different hardware
than wood framing. Someone is selling grab bars that are supposed to attach with suction cups. HUH, that is nuts.

As I've said regularly. It is an adventure. I do not do marriage counseling-no surprise. Do not forget it does not matter, race, creed, religion, wealth etc etc etc. Women do not think as men do and men to do think as women do.

We double-dosed the Shark Grip when we had the driveway redesigned to prevent a slip and fall. It didn't work too well.

Called the contractor to see exactly what he used and guess what.......he is gone!

Live and learn. I know better I should have checked the material.

Last week had a problem with all of our smoke detectors going off and the rest going off in sympathy and we could not shut them off.

To make a long story short fire dept came and took care of it and checked all of our detectors. Turns out the one starting to beep had reached the end of its life and another one was 10 years old and needed replacement.

Asked the lieutenant about why no detector in the garage and he said due to carbon monoxide emissions detectors would constantly be going off.

Bought a shot gun

At 3 am I went out of bedroom to check the front door. Mindfully stepped over 85-lb dog lying half in and half out of the bedroom doorway. By the time I came back to the bedroom, I forgot the dog was there. Big brush burn on my arm, and it took two months for the bulge on my elbow to recede. I now have a mini flashlight on my night stand. Little things mean a lot.

Bought a lower recoil shotgun... Wouldn't want to bruise my shoulder... :icon_wink:

We had a similar problem with the smoke detectors (2 am) about 1 - 2 years ago, I bought a contractors pack and the 2 additional CO2 detectors. I had 2 left over and used those for the garage and laundry rooms. Have not had a problem with the false alarms in the garage.