Improving the safety of seniors living at home

More than 96% of people age 65 and over live at home in Quebec. Various means and devices are available to allow them to live safely at home for as long as possible.

In particular, it is appropriate to take precautions for older adults who:

• live alone;
• are convalescing after a hospital stay;
• have reduced mobility;
• have memory impairment;
• have difficulty getting around;
• have a physical disability;
• have a major neurocognitive disorder (NCD), such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease or any other disease that may compromise their safety.

For example, they may not be able to call for help if they are unwell or fall while they are alone at home. According to data from the Québec Population Health Survey, 2020‑2021, about 4.6% of people age 65 and over reported that they had been injured as a result of a fall in the previous 12 months.

Various processes and devices can improve the safety of older adults at home. The ones presented below are simple and allow older adults to stay in their home longer. They can be set up with the support of a loved one, a community service or a neighbour.

Local or regional organizations offer a free automated call service for older adults living at home. The call can be scheduled once or several times a day. If the call is not answered, a health check in will be done quickly.

A family member, neighbour, friend or organization can be asked to stay in touch with the older adult. For example, a designated person will contact them daily or regularly by telephone or using a messaging system (texts, instant messages, etc.).

A neighbour can offer to help an older adult if they notice something out of the ordinary, for example if they did not go out to take their daily walk, if they did not clear the snow from their entrance or if the lights stay off in the evening. These are all details that should alert the neighbours.

Neighbours could also agree on special signals. For example, if the curtains are open before 9 a.m. in an older adult’s home, it means that everything is fine.

There are also various types of paid systems that older adults can use to very easily send a request for assistance to the appropriate recipient for the situation (caregiver, police, firefighter or ambulance). A panic button, for example, is a discreet device that can be used to call emergency services with the press of a finger. There are various types: wireless remote call button, medical alert button (or bracelet), wireless medical alert system, emergency bracelet, safety bracelet, etc.

Various smart devices, accessible at a range of costs, can help keep older adults safe and allow them to stay in their home. These tools make it possible to adapt the home environment to individual needs, alert contacts in the event of an emergency and simplify daily life through reminders. These devices include amplified voice activated telephones, fall detection watches and bracelets, smart detectors, voice assistants and smart home controllers, which increase both the safety and comfort of older adults.

Before doing anything, the needs, expectations and preferences of the older adult or a loved one, as the case may be, have to be assessed while taking the allocated budget into account. For panic button services, the purchase, activation and monthly subscription fees must be considered. So it is important to compare how much each option costs. Some remote monitoring service expenses are eligible for the independent living tax credit for seniors.

Using a well‑treatment approach, these processes and devices should be presented to the older adult in a simple and clear way by a loved one so that they can approve, or not, their use and understand what to do in an emergency situation.

For people living with an NCD, the risk of wandering calls for special strategies, in addition to safety devices.

The leaflet Risk of wandering: early detection, prevention and safeguarding – Key messages for informal and family caregivers is intended for informal and family caregivers and covers early detection of wandering risks, preventive strategies to reduce the risk, appropriate actions to take when necessary and useful resources.

The risk of wandering may be greater for people living with an NCD, which can compromise their health, safety and well‑being. In this context, the identification kit (PDF 467 Kb) is a preventive tool that can help organize vital information if a person goes missing. Typically completed by a loved one, it includes identification information, information for contacts, medical information and other useful information. This document facilitates emergency services search and response, thus helping to protect these vulnerable people and respond quickly when needed.