Flooring Consideration For the Elderly

About 13% of our current population are elderly who are aged 65 and above; according the statistics, this figure may likely to double in 2030. As much as we take the safety of our children as priority, this is another group of people whose safety should also not be overlooked. We all know what could happen if they were to slip and fall don’t we? During the daytime, the elderly could be the only ones at home. This means we need to have a safe house for them.

“What are some of the safety properties of the flooring should we be looking at, if we have elderly at home then?” you may ask. Read on for the answer!

1. Slip Resistant

Water spillage or water pouring from the rain into the house, is something inevitable. This is especially true for the kitchen, service yard and toilet area. According to Health Promotion Board, a lot of injuries happened to elderly due to fall each year. Therefore, it is extremely important to have a flooring that is highly slip resistant. Also, look for a flooring that is impact resistant, so that in event that may not fully prevent falls, it may also help to cushion falls, lessening impact.

2. Easy to maintain

Very often, the younger ones are either out at work or in school. The cleaning is, sometimes, done and maintained by the elderly. Having an easy to maintain flooring will help them have an easier job. They need not need to scrub the floor hard, but just using their comfortable way of having a broom and a mop, they will feel the floor clean. Having an easy to maintain flooring may also help them to gain their confidence as they know these are simple chores they can help out at home, if they want to do, of course.

3. Comfortable

When we are buying shoes, we look for shoes that we are comfortable to walk in. The same goes for flooring. We need to be comfortable with the flooring that we are walking on as we are spending a lot of the time walking at home when we are home. What more about the elderly who could be at home more often than you do? Some flooring, such as concrete tiles, may not be good for health if we were to stand on them for long. People with morning sinus will not like to step on ceramic tiles or marbles in the morning too. Hence, look for a flooring that will not be cold during cold weather or hot in the hot afternoon.

4. Air Quality

Fresh clean air helps to improve our life quality. As much as we like to have clean air, we also need to understand that dust is everywhere. We can clean them, but some flooring, such as carpets, tend to trap dust easier than others. Dust and dust mites will cause problems to elderly, especially those with respiratory problems. Hence, it is vital to look for a flooring that is tested and proven for better indoor air quality standard.

Flooring may seem to be the easiest to go for in a house, but when safety for the elderly becomes a concern, you will realise there are many considerations you need to have. There is no perfect flooring for a safe house. Do consider what your priority are. Research well before committing and don’t forget to involve the elderly when choosing flooring as their comfort should also be taken into consideration!