SAFETY
SAFETY
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OXYGEN & ELECTRONIC SMOKING DEVICE SAFETY
TRYING TO PREVENT FALLS Avoiding injury is very important. Your Care Team will pay attention to particular things, such as med- ications and weakness, and help you work on ways to try to prevent falls. Here are some things you should address to reduce risks of falling inside your home: • Slippery floors, loose area or throw rugs • Dark or dim lighting that makes it difficult to see • Stairs without railings or loose carpeting on steps • Bathtubs, showers, and toilets without grab bars • Clutter that can be hard to walk around and easy to trip over (for example, stacks of newspapers and magazines) • Hard to reach items in high locations (for exam- ple, the top shelf of a cabinet) • Electrical or phone cords Here are some things you should address to reduce risks of falling outside your home: • Slippery sidewalks, walkways, and driveways from ice or snow • Wearing shoes or boots with little or no traction • Entrances, walkways and garages with poor lighting • Walkways that have become uneven with age (like those made of brick) This information and additional resources are available at FourSeasonsCare.org/Home-Safety-For-Your-Aging-Loved-One
CALL YOUR CARE TEAM IF: • You experience a power outage that may impact the care or safety of the patient, such as electric medical equipment, lack of water, etc. • You have to leave your home due to fire, power failure, etc. Let us know where the patient is so we can continue caring for the patient with you. POWER FAILURE Prepare yourself and your family for unexpected events such as power outages, fires, and natural disasters. • In case of fire or natural disasters, call 911 first, then Four Seasons. • Keep Four Seasons’ phone number and a list of emergency numbers beside each phone. This list should include important and emergency phone numbers near each phone, such as: • 911 • Four Seasons at 866.466.9734 • Your power, water, and gas companies. Your social worker can help you compile this list. • Contact your power company if you rely on an oxygen concentrator or any other electric med- ical device at home. The power company can put you on a priority list to restore power. • For your safety, your oxygen equipment com- pany will give you backup oxygen tanks to use in case the power goes out. • Put together an emergency supply kit including: • Flashlights • Portable radio with batteries • Plastic bags (with self-locking zippers, such as Ziploc) for medicine and supplies • Canned food and bottled water • It is important to have an escape plan and prac- tice it. We can help you develop your plan. • A sheet can be used as a “sled’ to pull someone across the floor if they cannot walk or get into a wheelchair.
• Do not use aerosol sprays near oxygen equipment. • Do not lubricate or clean equipment with oil, grease, or chemical products. • Place the oxygen machine (concentrator) on a car- pet, rug, or some type of thick pad to reduce the noise. • Handle oxygen tanks carefully and store them in an upright position in the cart or holder supplied . Oxygen tanks have very high pressure and can be- come dangerous if dropped. • Store oxygen tanks in a well-ventilated area and do NOT store tanks in a closet. • Do not store or use oxygen within 10 feet of an open flame. Open flames and potential fire sourc- es include such items as candles, stoves, matches, cigarettes, heaters, cooking devices and fireplaces. • Be sure you have a working smoke detector, a working fire extinguisher, and a plan of escape in case of fire. • Make sure that your guests and visitors are aware you have oxygen and follow all of the above safety rules.
• Place a “NO SMOKING OR VAPING” sign on the doors leading into your home. The equip- ment company that brings the oxygen equip- ment can provide these signs. • If anyone is going to smoke, use open flames (such as a gas grill, candles, or stove), or use an electronic smoking device, you must do these things first: 1. Remove the oxygen mask or tubing from the patient’s face. 2. Turn off the oxygen machine or tank com- pletely. 3. Wait 30 minutes before smoking, utilizing an open flame, or using an electronic smok- ing device indoors. Oxygen may remain in or on the body and clothing and can cause a fire even if the oxygen equipment has been turned off. • Avoid petroleum-based products. Use only wa- ter-based products for skin care. This includes lip balm, face and body lotion and hair products. • Keep tubing as short as possible to increase the amount of oxygen the patient receives.
CALL YOUR CARE TEAM IF: • The oxygen equipment does not seem to be working correctly. • The patient is short of breath and is not improving. • The patient has nose or ear irritation that sometimes can be caused by the oxygen or the mask or tubing.
CALL YOUR CARE TEAM IF:
• The patient falls. • You are concerned about any increased risk of the patient falling. • You want more information about safely using patient care equipment, such as walkers, beds, bedside commodes, etc.
866.466.9734
FourSeasonsCare.org
FourSeasonsCare.org
866.466.9734
Four Seasons
Four Seasons
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