Icy roads, wet floors at a shopping centre, an uneven sidewalk — it doesn’t take much to end up in a fender bender or to slip and fall and find yourself in the hospital with a serious injury.
Many people might think that staying close to home is the answer to staying safe, but retirement is about living life to the fullest so a more practical solution is to plan and think ahead. If you take a proactive approach to safety measures, even if an accident were to happen, the effects of the accident can be minimized.
As a senior, there are many decisions to make when it comes to living a healthy and productive life, when to retire, and where to live after retirement. Very often, when retirees are choosing a retirement home they consider comfort, location, the services that are available, and affordability. What is often overlooked, however, are the safety aspects.
There are certain features that people may want to look for in order to meet safety concerns and future needs:
- Is there a medical alert monitoring system in place?
- Does the building have a security system?
- How close or accessible is the nearest fire station, hospital or ambulance service?
- Are there building safety plans in place in case of emergencies?
- What happens when the power goes out? Are there two elevators? Is there a generator back-up that can operate the elevator should there be a power outage?
Safety concerns are a big part of independent retirement living. While many places are designed so that residents are able to live comfortably, they are also engineered to keep them safe should an accident occur. The importance of living in a safe environment should never be overlooked.
There are many government rules and regulations to abide by when it comes to safety measures for retirement homes and similar type residences, but we take the extra steps such as providing 24-hour onsite staff to ensure our residents have complete peace of mind. With all of our regular safety protocols, this extra service can truly make a big difference if there happens to be an incident.
While building managers need to be responsible when it comes to safety, it is also important for retirees to be conscious of their surroundings and have safety plans in place to avoid major accidents and maintain a good quality of life physically and mentally. Have fun, but be safe!