A senior couple are having breakfast in their dinning room.

Aging in Place: Essential Safety Tips for Seniors at Home

Learn about the importance of ensuring a safe and healthy environment, and promoting healthy aging, among seniors and those in middle age

Fire and CO safety Water

9/09/24

Fire and carbon monoxide (CO) safety are of particular importance for the aging population, as older adults are 3.5 times more likely to die in fires than the general population, with about 930 deaths annually, and about 45 older consumers die each year from CO poisoning from sources like heating devices, generators and other engine-driven tools, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Here are three safety tips for older adults to promote a safe and healthy living environment.

Arm your home with smoke and CO alarms

First Alert - Precision Detection™ Smoke Alarms Install alarms on every level of the home, including inside and outside sleeping areas. Consider installing the latest technology from First Alert, the Precision Detection™ Smoke Alarms, which meet current industry standards and reduce cooking nuisance alarms and provide earlier warning to smoke and CO threats. Regularly test and maintain these alarms to ensure they're in proper working condition. Ask a friend or neighbor to help you test alarms if mobility is an issue for you.

Install a water leak and freeze detector

Don't let water leaks wreak havoc on your home. For seniors, discovering water damage can be particularly challenging and stressful. Whether it's a weather-related water ingress, a damp basement or a slow leak from your kitchen sink or toilet, excess water or moisture can lead to costly repairs. However, water-sensing smart home devices can help identify leaks early. The innovative First Alert L1 WiFi Water Leak and Freeze Detector provides alerts if a leak is sensed and they can be easily installed anywhere in the home.

A water leak and freeze detector detected a water leak in the utility room.

Practice kitchen safety

First Alert - EZ Fire extinguisher. The kitchen is a high-risk area for fire, especially for seniors. From 2017 to 2021, more than half (58 percent) of the people who died in cooking fires were 55 years of age or older, with the 65–74 age group accounting for the largest share of home cooking fire deaths, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Turn pot and pan handles inward on the stove, keep loose sleeves and aprons out of the way when using the oven, and have a fire extinguishing device handy wherever a fire could occur and educate yourself on how to use it.