Preview Mode Links will not work in preview mode

Jan 19, 2021

Talking today amongst ourselves, we will share some important safety tips around the home.  (TRANSCRIPT BELOW)

Most home safety tips talk about the importance of preventing fires, preparing against extreme weather and protecting the home from potential burglars. If you are a homeowner and have not taken precautions in any of these areas, the time to act is now. 

Yet even though it’s important to prepare for large dangers, most household dangers are more subtle and require smaller fixes. For example, did you know that a carbon monoxide detector is one of the most important tools in protecting against hidden dangers? It alerts homeowners to the presence of a deadly odorless and colorless gas. Without it, residents would never know to evacuate.

Luckily, complete home safety is easy to achieve with a few simple steps. There are many ways to protect yourself, your family and your home from common risks and dangers. 

 

 

PodcastDx-S8E6-Household Safety

Lita T  00:10 Hello, and welcome to another episode of podcast dx, the show that brings you interviews with people just like you, whose lives were forever changed by a medical diagnosis. I'm Lita

Ron  00:21 And I'm Ron

Jean  00:22  and I'm ready for some figgy pudding.

Lita T  00:24 I don't know what it is,

Jean  00:26 How about sticky toffee pudding.

Lita T  00:27 OK, that's Jean Marie. Collectively, we're the hosts of podcast dx and today's show, we are talking about household safety

Jean  00:36  And when I think of household safety, I tend to think about very young people, or you know, babies and actually baby proofing something  I've heard of that.

Ron  00:45 (slight snicker)

Jean  00:45 And then in one's home, as well as older adults, and well not really like adult proofing or senior proofing. But, you know, you get the idea.

Ron  00:56 Well, no matter what the age range happens to be in your household, there are always things that we can do to make our homes a safer place to live. And nowadays, work and learn as well. Universal, inclusive designs can make our home safer and more functional for everyone. We're today we're going to talk about a few modifications, which may actually make your home safer. And here's a tip, you may even be able to get assistance and or funding for your home safety upgrades and improvements through some of your local social and senior programs, nonprofit organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, or the International Red Cross and Crescent, maybe your local police and fire department or even your utility companies and such.

Lita T  01:46 Alright, I'm wondering if not the Red Cross Salvation Army, I wonder if they do anything.

Jean  01:53 But I know our local gas company will come out in and inspect your dryer and furnace and actually, there's programs here in Illinois, they will actually supply insulation,

Lita T  02:04 well we'll probably talk about that in the future

Jean  02:05 OK.

Lita T  02:07 Let's talk about let's start from the entrance of the home.

Jean  02:10 OK,

Lita T  02:11 we'll look like picture the home or the apartment or whatever. And we'll start at the entrance

Jean  02:16 OK

Lita T  02:16  so your entryway should be well lit at night.

Jean  02:20 mhhmm

Lita T  02:21  clear of debris. If your entry has stairs, you should take extra caution stairs can be a trip and fall hazard for anyone and are especially dangerous for older adults. The slightest variation is in a riser, which is the steps height or the tread depth, which is how far your foot we'll go into the step can greatly increase fall risks. Now, let me stop right there. If you have really big feet,

Ron  02:51 I thought we're stopping. (laughter)

Lita T  02:53 (laughter) OK.

Ron  02:54 Sorry, sorry,

Lita T  02:55 If you have a really large feet,

Jean  02:58 OK,

Lita T  02:58  then the tread depth. You know, there's a standard tread depth

Jean  03:03 There is a standard tread depth

Lita T  03:04  but it may not work for really large

Ron  03:07 right

Lita T  03:07 footed people,

Jean  03:08 but you're accustomed to a specific there are specific standards,

Lita T  03:13 right. So if you're kind of used to the specific standard, and then you come across a stair that's not to standard, it may cause you to fall

Jean  03:22  it. well, yeah

Lita T  03:23  There have been studies like the one by Mona Afifi, Belinda Park, and Mohamed Al-Hussein, titled  "Integrated Approach for Older Adult Friendly Home Staircase Design", we'll have to put a link for that on our website,

Ron  03:39 yeah right 

Lita T  03:39 which goes into great detail on how stairway design can affect safety.

Jean  03:45 And as this particular research article is often incorrectly cited by others online, we will, like you said include a direct link to it. And it's a compendium of specifics for stairways, because even like a 16th of an inch can cause someone to trip.

Lita T  04:03 Of course, I'm saying that but I'm not making a mark on it. So I'm not going to read my notes.

Jean  04:07 I have the article here to remind us.

Lita T  04:09 OK, good. Thank you.

Ron  04:11 One other thing that I'd like to add, though about the steps is It'd be great if you had a handrail because depending again, you mentioned like the size of your foot or what have you. But if you can securely grab a handrail that's going to help secure you more,

Lita T  04:28 Right, right.

Ron  04:30 So in general,

Lita T  04:30 I think there's a law, at least architecturally for if you have three or more stairs, you have to have a hand rail?

Jean  04:37 And yeah so but your local laws and codes vary,

Lita T  04:40 right

Jean  04:41  but it does behoove you to have one

Lita T  04:43 even with two stairs.

Ron  04:45 Right

Lita T  04:45 Even with two

Jean  04:46 even actually flat walkways in areas that can be icy or snowy ,

Lita T  04:50 Right, we've got one, right. So yes, Ron go ahead. Sorry. (laughter)

Ron  04:57 Again, it's just having a handrail is it's a safety precaution. You don't have to be older, whatever you just come over, you know, come off a surgery or something or whatever. It's just another safety feature that's all

Lita T  05:11  Yep

Jean  05:12 And you want to make sure that it's strong, secure and within hands reach.

Lita T  05:16 Right.

Ron  05:16 Yeah good point

Lita T  05:16 It should be in the right place. Yep. Yeah, you don't want it down like by your ankles.

Jean  05:21 I was thinking,

Lita T  05:22 (laughter)

Jean  05:22  if you have a very wide staircase.

Lita T  05:24 (laughter continues) OK,

Jean  05:25 you want to have a center rail as well?

Lita T  05:27 Oh, yes, that makes sense. Kim could have used that when she fell down the stairs

Jean  05:32 Well,

Lita T  05:32 at that theater.

Jean  05:33 She fell down the stairs at the theater because they were triangular steps. And those are the most likely to cause trips and falls.

Lita T  05:39 Oh, OK. 

Ron  05:40 Yes it did!

Jean  05:40 and spiral staircases, yes it did. 

Lita T  05:42 Yeah.

Jean  05:42 And she was trying to make sure that I was safe, which was extremely heartbreaking that, yeah

Lita T  05:47  well, alright, get back on the script.

Ron  05:49 (snickering laugh)

Lita T  05:49  If you happen to live in an area that has cold winter, like we do, you'll also want to make sure that your entry and walkways are free of ice and snow.

Ron  06:00 Right, right. And also, if you or someone in your household uses a wheelchair, you may want to have it professionally, a ramp professionally installed or a lift installed. But make sure that they do it by code.

Jean  06:16 Right, right.

Lita T  06:16 Good point. Yes. You don't just adlib on that. Because you're...

Ron  06:19  right

Lita T  06:20 …putting somebody is life in your hands. Whenever possible. Forget about scow, throw rugs, scow rugs?

Ron  06:26 (snicker)

Lita T  06:26 forget about throw rugs,

Ron  06:28 throw those rug away

Lita T  06:28 Throw those throw rugs away.

Ron  06:31 (laughter)

Lita T  06:31 The old dogs can be a tripping hazard and they should be avoided. And a throw rug is like a small little

Ron  06:38  area rug

Jean  06:30  area rug

Lita T  06:30  right? I call it a throw rug. Everybody calls it something different.

Ron  06:42  We're we're kind of near the same age range.

Lita T  06:45  Oh, I see. Yeah, some people call it area. If you do have a runner at your entrance, make sure that it's secure. And it will not shift when you walk in. And keep in mind that the slightest change in the level of flooring under foot may pose a tripping hazard

Jean  07:02  on to the kitchen.

Lita T  07:04  OK, and we're going to delete

Ron  07:05  the kitchen. That's a place that I'm not very familiar with. I'm getting though. But seriously in the kitchen, what we really mainly want to prevent are cuts and burns and fires and again slips and falls.

Jean  07:20  And actually also I guess I should have added poisoning.

Lita T  07:23  Oh, good point. OK, well to prevent cuts, make sure that your knives are sharp. Now this may sound counterintuitive,

Ron  07:31  (laughter)

Lita T  07:31  but Jean was Jean took professional cooking classes at  le Cordon Bleu. And a doll knife may cause you to lose fingers because you're using more force when cutting and the blade may slip rather than cut whatever you're cutting, and then it'll slide right into your hand. Also use the right tool for the job. Don't use a knife as a can opener. Ron... (laughter)

Ron  07:59  (laughter) Have you been spying on me

Lita T  08:00  uhuhh. Use a can opener to open a can when using knives or other cutting implements, scissors Robo coups mandolins use a good cutting technique and form another safety tip don't throw sharp knives or other sharp objects into soapy depths of a dish pan or thow axes at a wall.

Ron  08:23  That's not..

Lita T  08:23  I've seen that that's

Ron  08:24  not on here.

Lita T  08:25  No, I know, I know but ..

Jean  08:26  keep axes out of the kitchen.

Lita T  08:28  (laughter)

Ron  08:29  Actually, can I mention one thing about knives,   and this is something my forks and spoons and butter knives out like the butter knife. I'll put straight up when I do like a

Jean  08:31  yeah

Lita T  08:31  yes  you mean in a like in a dishwasher?

Ron  08:41  Well not well in a dishwasher after I wash them to dry.

Lita T  08:44  Yeah,

Ron  08:45   the butter knife I'll go straight up. But if I'm doing like a steak knife, I put the point down because sometimes you put your arm over it or you scrape by it and again you're not gonna really hurt yourself with a butter knife

Lita T  08:55   Oh yeah, I always put I always put

Ron  08:57  right

Lita T  08:57  sharp points down

Ron  08:59  right

Lita T  08:59   just like my mother used to say when you're walking with scissors point down, same thing

Ron  09:03  right.

Lita T  09:04  I like to set my knives to the side of the sink and wash them one at a time.

Ron  09:09  OK.

Lita T  09:10  You'll want to store your knives safely

Jean  09:12  right that's what Ron was saying

Lita T  09:13   right? If you need to store them, like away from children or elderly that maybe may have Alzheimer's or have some type of another impairment or anything like that. You may want to store them in a locked drawer or cupboard to keep our cutting board from sliding around. We'd like to place a damp towel

Ron  09:32  Ohh!

Lita T  09:32  between the countertop and the cutting board

Ron  09:34   I like that.

Lita T  09:35   to keep it from shifting when cutting. Also, you may want to swap out your glassware or use silicone sleeves and your glassware to prevent broken glass in the home

Ron  09:47  that go around the outside so the cracks or breaks it doesn't shatter all over?

Jean  09:52  Right they actually make them too for insulin bottles.

Ron  09:54    Yeah,

Jean  09:55  because insulin is so expensive so they make silicone sleeves for it you can put in your insulin bottles.

Ron  09:59  OK

Jean  09:59  Yeah And now to help prevent fires, keep cooktops then hoods and ovens free of grease. You might hear about restaurant fires, that's often the culprit. And yeah, the grease can catch fire.

Lita T  10:11  We actually don't put paper nerdier stove.

Jean  10:14  Well I thought that was like a given...

Lita T  10:16  Well, you know, you know...

Jean  10:16  ...or drapery  OK. OK. We like to toss the metal mesh filters for our cooktop vent into soapy water at least once a month. Because it's amazing how quickly grease can collect and those things in it. It's,

Ron  10:29  I never thought about that.

Jean  10:30  Oh, yeah, we bought when we were in North Carolina renting a house, the first thing I did was, you know, have the whole house cleaned. And I we looked up at the vent, and it was caked

Lita T  10:39  Coated, coated! With all this. I mean, you couldn't even... no.  It wasn't even usable.

Jean  10:44  Yeah, it's good to check

Lita T  10:44  We threw those away. Yeah, (laughter) we got new ones

Jean  10:46  we got new ones.

Lita T  10:47  Yeah.

Jean  10:48  We also have small kitchen fire extinguisher. And if you do have fire in a pot or pan on the cooktop, you can usually smother the flame with the pot lid, or the pan lid rather than spraying it with a fire extinguisher that could actually spread the fire. Never leave anything cooking unattended never,

Lita T  11:06  never

Jean  11:06  never. And nowadays, there are actually devices that link your cooktop and your smoke alarm. So when the smoke alarm goes off, the electric or gas to your cooktop or range shuts off automatically. And there are also microwave ovens with preset time limits. Ours will only go up to six minutes. And this way, you don't accidentally turn on your microwave for let's say 90 minutes instead of 90 seconds like someone we know. And when it comes to smoke alarms in the kitchen, you may want to install a model that has a quick remote or Wi Fi reset.

Ron  11:38  Hmm. It sounds like some of the stuff you're talking about. It's art imitating life.

Lita T  11:44  Yes.

Jean  11:46  Well, it's anecdotal. We've actually had

Ron  11:48  Yeah,

Lita T  11:48  She's pointing at me.

Ron  11:49  (laughter)

Jean  11:49  Oh, well, she wasn't the one but yeah,

Ron  11:51  (laughter) OK.

Jean  11:51   We actually, you know, we've had house fires in our immediate family and they're they're very scary.

Ron  12:00  Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Thanks, Jean. Now let's talk about burns. It's generally best to keep the kitchen clear. pets, children, and even adults should keep the area around the oven, stove or cooktop and the path and path to the sink. Keep it clear. You don't want to burn anyone while removing a pot of pasta or anything from the cooktop to drain in the sink. And if possible, lock electric cooktops or secure the knobs for a gas cooktop and households were only certain members of the family can safely use it on their own. I just had an incident where a person with Alzheimer's turned the gas on

Jean  12:44  yep

Ron  12:44   and went back to bed.

Lita T  12:45  Right, right.

Jean  12:46  Yep,

Lita T  12:46   we take the knobs off.

Jean  12:48  Yeah. And now we just lock our

Ron  12:50  right

Jean  12:50  cooktop.

Ron  12:51  Make sure that you're cooking large volumes of food in small batches. That way it'll be easy to lift and will cook quicker. And if you're storing them for later, which also reduces the risk of food poisoning. Please use potholders as needed. OK. Practice picking up and moving cold dishes, pots and pans to get the feel.

Lita T  13:15  Oh, that's a good idea

Ron  13:16  well, rather than just sticking your hand on there and saying, Oh, that's hot.

Jean  13:19  Yeah yeah

Lita T  13:20  (laughter)

Ron  13:20   done that before.

Jean  13:21  Oh,

Ron  13:22  Unfortunately, I actually left a metal spoon in a pot.

Lita T  13:26  Ohhhhh,

Jean  13:27  yeah.

Ron  13:28  So I learned

Jean  13:30  note to self get Ron wooden spoons.

Ron  13:32  (laughter) This was a while ago

Lita T  13:32  (laughter) OK

Ron  13:34   and I've learned my lesson I like yes indeed.

Lita T  13:36  OK

Ron  13:38  And this next one may sound like an odd tip but here it goes.

Jean  13:43  OK,

Ron  13:44  the bent lip on a baking rack in the oven is a safety feature and should be at the back of the oven. What that does is it helps to prevent someone from pulling the oven rack all the way out accidentally. When you remove something from the oven, it's best to locate where you intend to place the hat item. Using potholders and making sure the area around the oven is clear. slowly pull out the oven rack, remove the item and place it on a trivet or

Jean  14:14  trivet yep

Ron  14:15   or heat proof surface they didn't think I knew that word.

Lita T  14:18  mmhmm good!

Ron  14:19  Then slide the rack back in reaching into the oven to remove the item. I'm sorry, reaching into the oven to remove items can actually lead to forearms and other burns.

Lita T  14:29  I've seen that before.

Jean  14:30  mhhmmm

Ron  14:31  Yeah. And if you do get a burn treat it immediately and consult a health care professional if needed.

Lita T  14:38  Good point. Things can get messy in the kitchen at least my kitchen.

Jean  14:42  (snicker)

Lita T  14:43  Take the time to clean up spills anything that you dropped on the floor especially to avoid crush injuries in the kitchen. Have your appliances secured with appliance straps to a wall stud. Pull down roll out or a pop up kitchen shelving can help everyone reach needed items without standing on a ladder or bending over kitchen faucets with a lever handle and a color. A clear color coded temperature indicator can help you from burning yourself. Right?

Jean  15:15  Sure yep

Lita T  15:15  setting it to the wrong temperature.

Jean  15:17  And I think "Little Chef Cade" has taught us all that everyone can help in the kitchen. It's a matter of finding the right task for every individual. And it's a it's great to have everyone safely pitch in with meal prep, even if they do occasionally eat all of the butter On to the bathroom!

Lita T  15:33  OK, well, I'm sure we've all heard that the bathroom is the most dangerous room of the house.

Ron  15:39  Uhhhh  Yep,

Lita T  15:40  well, let's see if we can lower our odds for getting hurt in the bathroom.

Ron  15:45  OK, since there's water in the bathtub and a shower area, you should check to make sure that these areas have adequate drainage. You want to avoid water pooling and becoming a slip and fall hazard. Have grab bars, safety rails and poles professionally installed like we talked about with the railings. Especially where extra stability is needed and a lot of times has happened with older adults or people with disabilities etc, etc.

Jean  16:11  Yes

Ron  16:12  Having professionally installed a sink basin a towel rack, a shower door handle or toilet paper holder is not a substitute for grab bar. The grab bars need to be properly mounted and be able to bear one weight. A shower chair or seat can be helpful and improve bedtime safety when used properly. You may want to have a seat both in the shower and one just outside the shower. This way you can wash and dry yourself while still being seated. If you care for someone who needs help bathing, you need to stay with them. Never leave an infant or young child or anyone who requires assistance while bathing Do not leave them alone in the bath. Back and foot scrubbers a handheld long hose showerhead shower caddy to keep items within reach a handheld long hose showerhead.

Jean  17:06  Apparently that's very important. (laughter)

Lita T  17:08  (laughter)

Ron  17:11  I forgot to mention a tub spout cushion temperature gauges keep bath water between 98 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit that is and other bath tools can also be helpful and potentially improve bath safety. They can help reach hard to reach spots as well. Another thing make sure that the bath Tubs and Showers have a non slip surface. That's, I think probably huge

Jean  17:38  mmhhmm

Ron  17:38  for people out there. There are a number of products in the market to can improve traction to reduce the risk of falls in the bath or shower. And based on what I've read I'd like to make a controversial suggestion. please skip the water toys. In addition to potentially harboring bacteria, mold, viruses, fungus etc etc. Bat toys can also be a tripping hazard for people

Jean  18:04  Sure.

Ron  18:05  As with elsewhere in the home, the bathroom should be well lit floor should be kept dry and clear of clutter debris and anything that's potentially dangerous. Like cleaning chemicals, OK, keep them out of sight of children out of sight of everybody so that you know you use them when you need them. But they're not they're cluttering up the place. Any outlets, they should be GFCI or linked to a GFCI outlet. Toilet safety framed with grab bars and raise seats or overall toilet height may be good for some. When bearing down on the toilet. Some people may get dizzy or even pass out and If this is a concern, you may want to talk about improved safety when toileting with your healthcare provider. Also, maintaining proper ventilation in the bathroom also plays an important role in safety because moisture can facilitate mold and mildew growth. And that can be slippery

Jean  19:06   and gross

Ron  19:07  and gross is right. Use a contrasting color that can also help so that you know people can see where there's changes. Bright contrast and colors can also improve bathroom safety for those with visual impairments or dementia. rinse the shower pan and bathtub every time after bathing that can help reduce soap residue and biofilm built up which again can be slippery and dangerous

Jean  19:34  and gross.

Ron  19:35  Skip the bath oils and other products that can make the flooring slick. And if financially feasible and recommended by a health or safety advisor. You may want to think about installing a walk in bathtub or shower with little if any threshold. Yeah, that'd be great if you can.

Jean  19:54  Mhhmmm

Ron  19:54  And finally you may want to remove sliding doors for bathtubs and showers. The raised lip the track where the doors slide back and forth.

Jean  20:07  mhhmm mhhmm

Ron  20:07   The raised lip on the top of the shower pan may pose a tripping hazard for people.

Jean  20:11  In a more general note, there are many steps you can take to prevent household fires and improve your chances of surviving a household fire. Every home should have a working smoke detector, ideally hardwired with a battery backup, and if not, are any ways to replace the battery twice a year and store nine volt batteries in a separate container nine volt batteries stored in a junk drawer may actually ignite and cause fire.

Ron  20:35  Oh I never heard that. Oh wow

Jean  20:36  Oh yeah, no nine volts in the junk drawer. Test detectors on a regular basis, we'd like to test them twice a year. And occasionally, (distant barking)  we have a chihuahua barking in the background. I'm very sorry about that. And make sure you have correctly placed and added in an adequate number of detectors. There's generally it's on the ceiling or on the wall. But make sure you check with your local code. And you want to have the adequate number for the size of your home. If you are unaware as to where to place the detectors or how many detectors you should have, contact your local fire department. And we've heard this many many many times before, especially from our you know friends in the fire department. If at all possible skip the candles. They're an unneeded hazard, and keep pathways and stairways clear at all times. If a fire breaks out, you'll want to be able to exit your home quickly and safely.  And if you are a family member sleeps above or below the first floor or ground level, make sure that they have a means of egress. And a safe means by which to get to the ground level and practice that as well. bedrooms should have a window which is large enough for a firefighter wearing full gear to climb through. And you can check with your local fire department and building code for actual deep details as to what those measurements are, they might say that there's a standardized height and width that you have to meet. But it's not always the case that that's if you have one with a standard height and a standard width the that's large enough. I don't know if that makes sense, but check with them. And make sure everyone in your household knows how and when to use a fire extinguisher fire extinguishers should be properly located and inspected yearly. And primarily at exit doors you don't want to have to actually walk back into a fire to grab a fire extinguisher. And you can contact your local fire department to learn if they offer fire extinguisher training, as well as fire prevention classes and additional fire safety and prevention tips. If you've never used a fire extinguisher, it can be intimidating The first time you use it. So it's nice to actually know what that feels like. Make sure your electrical wiring wiring is up to code as well. If possible upgrade to ground fault circuit interrupters, and arc fault circuit interrupter outlets, as Ron was talking about they're very important with and it might help prevent electrical fires. Also, try not to overload your circuits and keep Transformers which are the little black boxes you'll see on a power cord for things like your laptop printer and other devices. Those should be kept cool.

Ron  21:28  mmhhmmm

Lita T  23:04  And the laptop should be kept cool.

Jean  23:07  And the laptop kept cool.

Lita T  23:09  And that's how Kim's fire started.

Jean  23:11  It was a transformer.

Lita T  23:12   Oh,

Jean  23:12   it was Transformers used to be in the laptop

Lita T  23:15  oh

Jean  23:15   in the printer underneath

Lita T  23:17  ok ok

Jean  23:17  so they didn't have enough ventilation to stay cool.

Lita T  23:20 sorry Take it back.

Jean  23:21 No, I would still say keep your laptop cool. And don't leave it on a bedspread

Lita T  23:24 Right

Jean  23:25 or a blanket or sofa.

Lita T  23:26 Right?

Jean  23:26  It doesn't allow for proper ventilation.

Lita T  23:28 A lot of kids do that.

Jean  23:29 I know it's dangerous.

Ron  23:30   Right

Jean  23:31 Yeah. And never cover up that transformer box it needs to

Lita T  23:37 breathe.

Jean  23:38  Well it doesn't

Lita T  23:39   pretend it needs to breathe.

Jean  23:40 OK, as I say it doesn't physically breathe.

Lita T  23:42  (laughter)

Jean  23:42  kind of creepy. Once electronic start breathing...

Lita T  23:45  (laughter)

Jean  23:46  ...we're all in trouble Just saying.

Lita T  23:48 (laughter) OK,

Jean  23:53 here's one more fire prevention tip register all new electronic devices. So if there's ever a recall, you will hopefully be notified. And if you are purchasing used electronic devices, check online and see if there has been a recall.

Ron  24:06 Let me let me add one more thing. We're talking about the fires. And in all of this, I think one key thing too, is for the family

Jean  24:14 mhhmm

Ron  24:14 to have a fire evacuation plan. 

Lita T  24:16 Oh my gosh, absolutely!

Jean  24:16 Sure

Ron  24:17 So make sure that everybody...

Jean  24:19 knows where...

Ron  24:19  gets out of the house

Jean  24:20  right and knows where to meet.

Lita T  24:22 Absolutely

Ron  24:22  Exactly.

Jean  24:22 Yeah And actually we umm, we have trained Are we there was we had an unfortunate family incident where someone's pets did not make it out. But luckily all the people did

Lita T  24:32 but you can't train a cat.

Jean  24:34 I don't know if you can train a cat but

Lita T  24:35 you can't train a cat to come to eat.

Jean  24:37 OK.

Lita T  24:37 Oh, yeah, maybe

Jean  24:38  OK, well, we've trained our dogs, and if they hear a smoke alarm go off, be it in our house or on TV,

Lita T  24:46  (snicker)

Jean  24:47  they will immediately go

Lita T  24:48 run to the door.

Jean  24:49   to the door

Ron  24:49  Gotcha

Jean  24:49  So then we open the door and then we let him out

Ron  24:51  right

Jean  24:51   and we practice that as well.

Ron  24:52  Right. And that's the thing, not only to have one but to practice it

Jean  24:55  right. And also there's important things like being, crawling out,

Ron  24:58  right

Jean  24:58   you know, crawling Touching doors with the back of your hand, not the front of your hand,

Ron  25:02   right

Lita T  25:02  right

Jean  25:02   things of that nature. You want to practice and often fire departments will have a practice and setup that you can walk through.

Ron  25:09  right

Lita T  25:09  I know that Kim mentioned when her basement would caught fire, that she felt the heat

Jean  25:14  on her feet. yeah

Lita T  25:15  on her feet. As she was

Ron  25:16  oh wow

Lita T  25:16  walking across

Ron  25:17  right

Lita T  25:17   the kitchen floor.

Ron  25:17   wow

Lita T  25:17  From the basement

Jean  25:18  And that's another example of smoke detectors. There was one working smoke detector, the rest were still in the package waiting to be installed because she had just moved in

Ron  25:25  gotcha, so this in the new house?

Lita   25:27   No, this was... ...years ago

Jean  25:28  No years ago,  when the kids were when the kids were little

Ron  25:31  gotcha

Lita T  25:32  so onto the laundry room?

Jean  25:33   onto the laundry room.

Ron  25:34  It was kind of digging what we were just talking about but yes, let's go on to the laundry room.

Lita T  25:38  (laughter)

Ron  25:39  Well, as with other areas in the home, where water and electricity may come together, make sure your outlet in the laundry room are also the GFCI and the fancy name escapes me right now. But

Jean  25:53  ground fault circuit interrupter

Ron  25:55  that one, check your lint trap and dryer exhaust system vent on a regular basis. And here's a tip too, because a lot of times people will pull out the lint trap and get the lint out of there.

Jean  26:08  mhhmm

Ron  26:09  But it's very narrow and it's hard to get

Lita T  26:13  it might be somewhere in the pipe. Right?

Ron  26:15  Yes. Well, yeah, first,

Jean  26:16   right.

Ron  26:17  So I mean, if you don't have the tool, try to get one or get with somebody who can come because cleaning the lint trap is very important. But there's still stuff that gathers underneath that

Jean  26:27  right

Ron  26:27  and that can also

Lita T  26:28  and birds make nests.

Jean  26:29   Yes. OK.

Lita T  26:30  on the outside

Jean  26:30  guys would read the script.

Lita T  26:32  OK, I'm sorry. (laughter)

Jean  26:32    Ummm

Lita T  26:34  (laughter)

Jean  26:34  we're gonna talk about that in a second.

Ron  26:36   I can talk about birds?

Lita T  26:37  Yeah.

Jean  26:38  But also there are professional services that will come out

Ron  26:41   right

Jean  26:41   and thoroughly clean it. And you could have that done twice here.

Lita T  26:43  Oh, I see. read the script.

Ron  26:45  Oh, yeah, right here. I've actually seen birds nesting in a dryer vent on the side of someone's house. wasn't mine. But I saw it.

Lita T  26:51   It was Kim's Kim has has a lot of problems with stuff

Jean  26:54   well, also in North Carolina.

Lita T  26:56  Oh, yeah. Yeah.

Jean  26:57  And what we first noticed was that our clothes weren't getting dry. And we were like, why aren't they getting dry. And then we looked on the outside of the house, and there was actually lint just falling out of the exterior vent. And then we looked across the street and they had a huge bird nest in theirs.

Ron  27:14  So I know we're kind of making a little light of this. But I mean, in all seriousness, we want everybody to be aware of this. And also just like all the other rooms. Please keep the laundry floor areas dry and clear of debris so that people don't fall

Jean  27:31  in onto the bedroom.

Lita T  27:32  OK,

Jean  27:32  as with all the other rooms in the bed in the home that the bedroom floor should be free of clear of clutter and debris. a nightlight under bed light or under nightstand lighting, or lights with motion sensors can make walking to the bathroom or other areas safer at night. Dressers nightstands, bookcases, televisions, etc. Should be anchored to a stud in the wall. And cords from window coverings should always be secured and out of the reach of children. Keep toys and other items within reach or locked away. You don't want to have them up on a high shelf or somebody is going to be reaching for them. beds, bed frames, and mattresses, and box springs all come in a dizzying array of options. If you've ever walked into a mattress store, it's amazing. When sitting on the edge of the bed, Your feet should be able to be squarely or squarely placed them on the floor and you're you're legs, your quads should your calves are not your calves. I don't know what I'm saying  your thighs,  your thighs.

Ron  27:47  (laughter)

Jean  27:55  Thank you, should be 90 degrees.

Lita T  28:26  So that bed that I got rid of

Jean  28:28  right

Lita T  28:28   that I had to take a running leap to get in

Jean  28:30  that was always funny, Yeah, but it was funny to watch.

Ron  28:32  did you have a little little like, trampoline?

Lita T  28:34  no, I just kind of ran and jumped up.

Jean  28:36  OK, so And yeah, so if a bed is too high or too low, it may pose a greater risk of falls, foam bumpers, concave mattresses and similar devices may be recommended for individuals who roll out or fall out of bed, check with your health care provider to find the safest option for you or your household, or members of your household. And for those who need to make frequent trips to the bathroom a portable commode may be the best option if you place it in the bedroom. So they don't have to walk as far

Lita T  29:03  right.

Jean  29:04 And there are other safety concerns. But we're gonna kind of gloss over this.

Lita T  29:08 Well, we could go on and on.

Jean  29:10 Right in although we can go on and on about household safety. I think we should call it a day

Lita T  29:14 It's a day,

Jean  29:15  if you any chemicals are kept out of the reach of those who may ingest them. Because poisoning is another

Lita T  29:21 Oh no, we talked about poisoning already.

Jean  29:22 I know. But I just want to say that that's another important thing. All right.

Ron  29:25 I want to thank everybody for listening and I hope to god they're still listening.

Lita T  29:30 Well, we kind of ran over the mill there.

Ron  29:33 But again, all kidding aside, I think you know we wanted to get pretty in depth about this because it is very serious.

Lita T  29:41 Right

Ron  29:41  But again, thank you to everybody for listening. If you have a question or comment related to today's show, please contact us at podcast dx@yahoo.com through our website, podcast dx.com and Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or Instagram.

Jean  29:57 As always, please keep in mind that this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment before undertaking a new healthcare regime and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking if it is something you've heard of this podcast

Lita T  30:14 Ohhhh! Till next week