‘ ‘Gre Te Ri wle Son rex ey Wer ‘le m eke ‘we n wen Tee dcwds ombe pp B e “p ed tf t ot ‘= prty "ee me, tme fr = rum ne e see At OF OLDER AMERICANS Keeping Older Americns Sfe From Fire (NAPSA)—Fire sfety is hot topic for cregivers who work with older dults. In 2001, more thn 1,200 Americns over the ge of 65 died in home fires. An dditionl 3,000 were injured in firerelted incidences. Mny experts believe older dults re prticulrly t risk when it comes to fires, becuse of their decresed mobility. The possibility of other helth problems, such s diminished sight or hering, my lso limit n older person’s bility to tke the quick ction necessry to escpe during fire emergency. Fortuntely, there re steps tht cregivers who cre for older people cn tke. Strt by mking sure smoke lrmsre instlled on ech level of the residence nd outside ll sleeping res. Test them monthly nd replce the btteries t lest once yer. Cregivers re lso encourged to check the smoke lrmsof those who re unble to do it themselves. Sttistics show chnces of surviving homefire lmost doubles with the initil wrning from smokelrm. Escpe plns re nother key element of ny fire sfety strtegy. Cregivers should pln escpe routes tht tke into ccount the physicl cpbilities of the person they cre for. Pln should identify t lest two exits from every room. Cregivers re encourged to check the smokelrms of older people who re unble to do it themselves. If the person being cred for uses wlker or wheelchir, check ll exits to be sure the exits re pssble. In ddition, the cregiver should contct the fire deprtment hed of time to mke them wre tht n older person with specil needs lives t tht ddress. It is lso importnt to remember to never use n elevtor during fire unless instructed by the fire deprtment. A free booklet clled Fire Sense: A Smrt Wy to Prevent, Detect nd Escpe Home Fires is vilble by writing to: The Hrtford, Fire Sense, 200 Executive Boulevrd, Southington, CT 06489 or by visiting the Web site t www.thehrt ford.com/firesense.
