If you are about to start being the caretaker for an elderly parent who is moving into your house, you may not realize that some changes need to be made to your home. Elderly people can have mobility issues, and their motor skills are not what they used to be. That's why you need to take some steps to make your home safer and a bit easier to navigate. Here are some things you can do to make living in your home easier for your elderly parent.

Help with Organization

It is important that your elderly parent's room be free of clutter, which can be easy to trip over and cause falls on a regular basis. Make sure you help your parent determine what things are being brought to your home, and give them assistance with storing and arranging their things in a way that keeps them neat and easy to access. For example, you might get them a small nightstand so they can reach their glasses without having to get out of bed.

Use Adequate Lighting

It can be hard for your elderly parent to see, and if you don't have adequate lighting for them, that can make it even more difficult. Not only that, but poor lighting at night can lead to falls as they try to navigate their way from their room to the bathroom. Make sure that their room is brightly lit, and be sure to have lights in the hallway so that they can make their way through the house if they need to get up at night. You might also consider getting motion-sensor lights to help light a path to the bathroom at night.

Remove Hazards

It is important to look for things that can cause your parent to fall or hurt themselves in your home. For instance, it can be easy for elderly people to trip on free-standing rugs and cables that run across the floor. Make sure to secure these items, or remove them, so that your parent doesn't have a fall. It is also a good idea to make sure that tables and other furniture don't have sharp, rectangular corners that could injure your parent.

Replace Knobs

Knobs are easy to forget, but remember that your elderly parent will have to open cabinets and drawers in their bedroom, in addition to the kitchen and bathroom. It can be difficult for elderly parents to grasp small round knobs, so consider replacing them with handles or knobs that are easier to grab and pull.

With the suggestions above, you can make your home a better place for your elderly parent. You may even consider hiring a home health professional like Assisting Hands Naples to help you make life more comfortable for your elderly parent.