WBMA's Talk of Alabama: Right At Home

With the dog days of summer upon us, it’s important to know some basic summer safety tips—especially for senior citizens.

“As seniors age, their body changes and they actually perspire less,” Beau Green, a Right at Home* franchisee, told WBMA’s Talk of Alabama. “What happens is they’re not able to tell when they’re actually overheated?”

Some of the things that are often overlooked include the importance of a functioning air conditioner. If they don’t have air conditioning, it’s important to make sure that they get somewhere cool. In addition, many family members may not live in proximity to their loved ones. In situations such as those, Green recommends reaching out to Right at Home for routine checkups or to help with daily activities and errands.

“We go in, we get to know them and we get to know their needs,” Green told WBMA’s Talk of Alabama. “We get to identify exactly what we can do to be of assistance to them. It’s like we’re a liaison for them [family]—an extension of them.”

In addition to summer safety tips, Green shared some often overlooked preventative measures that can be implemented in the homes of seniors.

“What we’ve identified is the problem areas that are throughout the home,” Green said. “So in the common areas, you want to make sure there aren’t any loose cords. You want to make sure that under rugs or carpeting that you have the non-slip surface underneath it. You want to make sure that light bulbs are utilized and the lighting is properly in place.”