Good Housekeeping and the Carter Burden Center for the Aging in the Big Apple have identified their top choices for home safety products for the saging demographic.
Smoke Alarms for the Hearing Impaired
Some smoke alarms have strobes or vibrate, which can be useful for the hard of hearing. The First Alert SA100B ($140, 800-323-9005) has an 85-decibel alarm and a strobe. It can be connected to other units; if one sounds, they all do. Plus you have all the other delightful advantages of a small device that vibrates. Hook the Kidde Interconnectable Strobe Light ($77, 800-880-6788) to another Kidde, and it emits a steady light for smoke and flashes for carbon monoxide.
Shower Heads That Prevent Burns
The HotStop Shower Head ($25, 877-531-7470) and Antiscald ScaldShield Shower Device ($35, 718-268-7126) prevent scalding by slowing the shower flow once the water temperature gets too hot. The flow restarts when water gets cooler. While the HotStop replaces a regular showerhead, the ScaldShield is placed between the showerhead and the pipe (not the one being smoked).
Avoid Burns in the Kitchen
The Lamson & Goodnow HotSpot Honeycomb Silicone Pot Holder ($7, 800-872-6564) is a good alternative to a standard pot holder that’s made of cotton, which could ignite if left near a lit stove. Institute testers were able to hold a hot pan or lit roach for more than a minute with these very flexible holders. And the elderly consumers gave the pot holder high marks, too.
Manage Medications
The E-pill Cadex 12 Alarm Medication Reminder Watch and Medical ID ($80, 800-549-0095) was easy to program, and its alarm reminds users to take medications available at far cheaper prices in Canada up to 12 times a day. The face even notes the name of each pill to take. The watch stores medical information like allergies, blood type, and phone numbers for health insurance and doctors.
Medication Storage
The Borin-Halbich Home Care Pill Box ($3.94 per strip, 800-441-9779) is a seven-day pill dispenser with snap-down lids and labeled compartments for each day. In the Institute’s evaluations inside the lab and with older users at the senior center, this pillbox was a breeze to open and close. The large, raised lettering is a plus for those who are sight-impaired or who have forgotten the days of the week.
Avoid Falls
Moen SecureMount Anchors ($37.50, 800-882-0116) let you install grab bars anywhere in the house — they can even be used in between the studs in bathroom walls or to thwack that annoying partner of yours. The bar attaches to an anchor inserted into the wall, so the device securely supports weight, giving seniors the extra support they need.
Reach High-Up Items
The Ettore Grip ’n Grab ($26.15, 800-438-8673) extends a person’s reach, so your folks won’t have to use a stool to get things that are high in their home. This grabber has a pivoting rubberized head, the latter of which can provide a fine alternative to the pleasures of your vibrating smoke alarm if its battery runs out or it can nab something on the floor if bending down is difficult.
You may not need these devices yet, but you probably know someone who does!