Stairways can be extremely intimidating to an elder.
The absolute best way to deal with the danger of stairs would be to install one of those powered stair chairs that you see on TV.
Medicare will pick up the cost of these units in some circumstances, but suffice to say that your elder will likely have to be able to prove they are at least partially disable to qualify.
You could always purchase one on your own as well, of course.
But, short of buying the stair chair device, there are other things you can do to make your elder's stairs safer.
Here are my top 6 tips for doing so: 1.
Put up a second railing to reduce chances of stumbling 2, Mark the edges of steps with very brightly colored tape to help compensate for failing eyesight and depth perception issues 3.
Paint outdoor steps with a rough texture paint, or add abrasive strips to the steps 4.
Make sure that your elder is wearing shoes with soles that grip the floor.
Don't allow them to traverse stairs in socks or smooth soled shoes or slippers.
5.
Consider moving your elder to the first floor if at all possible 6.
As I mentioned earlier, consider buying a stair chair Another way to help with stairs is to install motion detectors that will sound an alarm as your elder nears a set of stairs.
The volume on these units can generally be adjusted so that those without hearing problems aren't 1/2 scared to death by loud alarm.
These detectors can be set up so that an alarm will go off in the room of a caregiver as well - either by the stairs or by the front door in the case of Alzheimer patients.