Epi-Life.com

Safety In The Home

Taking steps to make your home a safer environment to live in will help reduce the risk of accidents. Many people with epilepsy who have uncontrolled seizures express concern about safety in the home, and below are a few points for consideration. For someone with controlled epilepsy many of these precautions may be unnecessary, although safety in the home environment is an important consideration for everyone.

HOW CAN I MAKE MY HOME ENVIRONMENT SATER ?

When choosing carpets and upholstery, people with epilepsy may wish to avoid fabrics that are difficult to clean, and coarse fabrics which could lead to friction burns. In areas where food may be split, or where wear and tear is likely, nonslip scatter rugs, or corpe tiles may be considered. Fire-proof fabrics and furniture are used more commonly now and may be particularly appropriate if the person with epilepsy smokes.

Plastic covers* can be bought to fit over sharp corners on furniture which can reduce the risk of injury due to fall against them; alternatively, round tables instead of those with sharp corners is a possibility.

Safety glass indoors and low windows minimize any risk of injury if someone were to fall against it during a seizure. With older properties, it may be worth checking whether safety glass has been fitted, and if not, applying safety film which can prevent splintering. Trailing flex from electrical appliances can be a danger as well as a nuisance. The risk of tripping and pulling over appliances can be reduced by ensuring the correct number of sockets are provided.

Light, free-standing heaters that could easily be knocked over in a seizure are probably best avoided.

Care needs to be taken with any medication, particularly if children are around. Keeping anti-epileptic and any other drugs locked away or in and out of reach cupboard is one consideration. A Drug wallet** can be helpful as it can be clearly seen if medication has been taken or not.

WHAT ABOUT IN THE KITCHEN

There are always potential dangers in the kitchen. Standard precautions such as turning pan handles away to minimize the risk of knocking the pan from the cooker, using the back rings or burners rather than those at the front, grilling food rather than frying and if possible using a cooker on which the heat can be turned off quickly, e.g., gas can reduce the risk of injury. Microwave ovens are now widely used and many people consider them to be safer than conventional ovens, as well as more practical. If using a microwave regularly, investing in special plastic microwavable containers rather than using glass dishes is a consideration.

Other things to consider include:

	Cordless irons
	Cordless automatic kettles with safety lid and safety cut out.
	Cooker guards*
	A trolley to transfer food and hot dishes from the oven to the table.
	Avoiding eye level grills.
	Using a tumble dryer means you can avoid large amounts of ironing.

IN THE BATHROOM

For people with uncontrolled epilepsy, great care needs to be taken when bathing. Taking a shower is considered to be less of a risk than taking a bath, and if possible showers with high-sided bases should be avoided as they could trap water if the drain was covered.

If bathing cannot be avoided, having a bath while someone else is in the house will mean help is at hand if it is necessary. Running a shallow bath and putting cold water in before the hot will minimize injury if a seizure occurs. Turning the hot water thermostat down a few degrees will ensure that the water is never scalding.

Bathroom and toilet doors could be hung so that they open outwards, preventing the door becoming blocked by someone falling behind it. Using safety locks which can be operated from outside, or putting an "Engaged" sign on the door allows privacy, but does mean that another person can get in if they need to.

IN THE BEDROOM

People who have seizures during their sleep may consider using safety pillows that can reduce the risk of suffocation. For the majority of people with epilepsy, however, this precaution will not be necessary. Low lever beds or futons can be useful it there is risk of someone falling out of bed. Smoking in bed is never to be recommended, particularly so for people with uncontrolled epilepsy, as having a seizure whilst smoking could result in a fire.