3 Ways to Make Your Business Safer for the Elderly

If you own a business, you are probably aware of the dangers in your store, office, or warehouse. While most people can easily avoid the dangers or watch out for themselves, the elderly have more difficulty getting around. Because of that, it’s necessary to take a few extra precautions to make sure your elderly customers and employees stay safe. So what can you do to protect them and your business? Here are three things you should consider.

1. Stairs present a serious problem to elderly individuals. Their reduced mobility makes it hard for them to lift their legs up and down stairs, and their lack of strength can make it nearly impossible to hold onto a railing. In fact, falls account for nearly 25% of all hospital admissions and almost 90% of fractures among people over 65. The easiest way to protect the elderly is to install stair treads and coatings. These stair safety products come in a variety of styles, from metal nosing and treads to abrasive non-slip paints, but they all do the same thing–make it almost impossible to slip on the stairs.
2. If you own a small business, there are a few things you need to look out for. Some of the most important things you can remove or replace are rugs and carpets with curling ends. As mentioned a moment ago, falls are the leading cause of injury and injury related deaths among the elderly. If you can remove obstacles they can trip over, the chance of anyone injuring themselves is greatly reduced.
3. Make certain your bathrooms have large handicap stalls and hand rails throughout. By making it easier for your customers to use the restroom, they will be much less likely to slip and fall.

In addition to improving safety for the elderly, it is equally important to make your workplace safe for individuals with disabilities. Be sure to familiarize yourself with ADA building compliance. And for more tips regarding the construction of safe stairways, check out our article on building codes for stairs.