Household Safety

PodcastDX

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

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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.

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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.

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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 [e-mail] 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