As a caregiver for a hospice patient, you want to make sure your home is safe and comfortable for your loved one. Hospice benefits come with a team of compassionate experts, from nurses to social workers, but, as the primary caregiver, you carry the weight of daily care and responsibility.
As part of your caregiver duties, you may assist with feeding, hygiene, mobility, and transferring the patient to/from their bed, all of which come with a host of responsibilities and safety concerns.
To assist caregivers with the patient’s safety at home, Heart to Heart Hospice helps you be proactive in preventing falls, accidents, or injuries. You may be surprised that many rooms of the house need consideration, as navigation may become increasingly difficult as the patient’s mobility wanes.
We’ll discuss home hospice safety considerations and tips so that you and your loved one can spend less time worrying and more time creating treasured memories.
General Patient Safety: Communication and Emergency Contacts
Your loved one may not have the agility or cognitive ability to operate a phone, and they may feel frustrated or fearful if it’s difficult to communicate with others. To make sure communication is easy and readily available, consider equipping your home with:
- A two-way baby monitor
- A bell
- An intercome
- A medical or home alert system
Patient Safety in Case of Emergency
Ensure emergency information is easily accessible for you, other caregivers, and the patient.
- Post a list of important numbers, including your hospice nurse, the 24/7 hospice line, family members/close friends, and your loved one’s primary doctor.
- Keep a list of the patient’s medications and conditions.
- Talk to your hospice team about emergency planning, such as power outages, inclement weather, or fires.
Physical Safety: Preventing Falls and Injuries
Depending on the mobility of your loved one, you need to evaluate each room – the bedroom, living room, bathroom, hallways, kitchen, and other areas they frequent. If your patient walks with assistance or uses a wheelchair, make sure the area is cleared from obstacles that could lead to falls or other safety risks.
As you prioritize home safety, here are a few important tips:
- Remove rugs or other trip hazards, like shoes, clutter, ottomans, and other low objects.
- Keep mobility aids by the patient’s bedside at all times.
- Use a bed alarm if the patient is a fall hazard and tends to get up by themselves.
- Assist them from room to room, using special caution at door thresholds or floor surface transitions.
- Ensure they are physically able to move, evaluating their eyesight health, hearing, and any potential medication side effects like dizziness.
- Avoid loose-fitting clothes and make sure non-skid shoes or socks fit well.
- Utilize bed rails and other equipment (see below for more).
- Ensure pets are not underfoot and are out of the way when moving around the house.
- Encourage your loved one to rise slowly from their bed or chair.
Home Safety for Hospice Patients by Room
When evaluating home safety for your loved one, it’s important to do a walkthrough of each room to assess any potential risks or fall hazards and to consider various scenarios in which your loved one might need extra assistance. Here are some things to keep in mind!
Bathroom Safety for Hospice Patients
If your loved one is able to take trips to the bathroom assisted (or unassisted), keep these tips in mind:
- Use nightlights for visibility in hallways and the bathroom.
- Have grab bars for the toilet and bathtub/shower.
- Remove all electrical hazards and sharp objects from easy reach and away from water (like blow dryers and razors).
- Have non-skid mats in the bathtub and floor to help prevent falls.
- Install anti-scald devices on faucets or lower your water heater temperature to avoid burns.
- Encourage frequent toilet visits so they are not rushed.
Kitchen Safety for Hospice Patients
Your loved one may still enjoy gathering in the kitchen or have some level of independence. If they are assisting you with preparing a meal or warming up food:
- Avoid fire hazards like loose clothing or potholders near burners.
- Keep pan handles turned away from the edge of the stove.
- Make sure microwaves and other appliances are working.
- Have a respectful conversation about what they can and cannot do independently, such as using knives or heating things up.
- Put away any hazardous materials.
Pharmacological Safety: Medications and Medical Equipment
Hospice patients need a variety of medical aids, medications, and equipment, and those needs often progress over time.
To prevent accidental misuse of medications, remember these safety tips:
- Store medications in their original container and in a secure place.
- Create a schedule for administering medications by using a daily or hourly pill box, and make sure to track and monitor intake.
- Practice safety measures for oxygen tanks: no smoking, gas stoves, candles, or fire nearby, and properly store the oxygen tanks.
- Talk to your hospice nurse to help coordinate needed medical equipment, such as canes, walkers, wheelchairs, hospital beds, bed rails, over-the-commode chairs, and bathtub rails.
Additional Home Considerations: Comfort Measures
Comfort, support, and dignity are key for Heart to Heart Hospice families. Beyond pain management, keeping patients comfortable at home is a core value and part of ensuring your loved one has a peaceful end-of-life journey.
- Keep frequently-used items bedside, like glasses, water, remote control, phone, tissues, etc.
- Make sure the room is a comfortable temperature with fans, blankets, or an adjusted thermostat as needed.
- Remember that your loved one may have varying levels of tolerance for stimuli, such as noise, lights, scents, or touch, and that these tolerances may often change from day to day and hour to hour.
Don’t be too hard on yourself. Even with diligent safety protocols, not all falls or accidents can be prevented. If it happens, call your 24/7 hospice line.
