Christmas trees are beautiful, but can be a source of concern for seniors.
We love the holiday season!
The lights, the food, and the cheer all contribute to the wonder of the season that can be felt in people both young and old. However, the holidays have their own special dangers. I’m not talking about eating too much. I’m talking about the dangers of Christmas trees.
Care and Placement
Christmas trees are very pretty, but they are a fire risk and a trip risk. Remember that we’re trying to avoid the use of emergency devices this holiday season! The tree that you choose shouldn’t be already dried out. It will dry out naturally as the season goes on. If it is too dry there is a risk of fire.
One way to help control that is to keep the water in the tree stand filled. You can tell when a tree is getting too dry by touching the needles. Check the water levels in the stand if they’re starting to lose their freshness.
While it’s somewhat romantic to have the twinkling Christmas tree close to the fire, you don’t want to have it too close to the fire, as that can create a hazard. Every year, there’s an increased use of medical alert necklaces because of fire. The beauty of the scene isn’t worth using the pendant for emergencies.
Speaking of placement, the tree also shouldn’t be in the way of anything. Your elderly loved one doesn’t want to have to dodge the tree, or have it fall on them because of a poor stand. To prevent the tree from falling over and possibly creating a medical alert pendant device situation, take a few moments to make sure that the tree is absolutely stable in its stand. Get a larger stand if you need one.
Putting Up the Lights
Putting up the lights is something that family members both young and old can share in to celebrate the season. Minimizing fire and the use of medical alert jewelry is of the highest priority. Examine each strand of lights to make sure that there are no frayed wires or damaged lights. A little spark and a dry tree creates fires.
While you might have gotten a deal on Jim-Bob’s Bargain Basement Lights, you might want to forgo using those in favor of ones which have the Underwriter’s Laboratory safety label. These have been tested and certified as being safe.
Keep your extension cords limited, for fear of shorting and other hazards which may happen. Limit the extension cords to a single one per outlet, with no more than three sets of lights on a single extension cord.
Also, only use the lights when you’re around them. Don’t go to sleep with the Christmas lights on because you’re not there to keep an eye on it.
While the holidays are wonderfully bright and cheery, make sure that you’re being safe with your Christmas tree and putting up the decorations. Follow these tips and you won’t have to worry about your holiday decoration sending you to the hospital.
