REMINDER: DID YOU FORGET OR HAD NO TIME?

The National Fire Protection Association urges you to check/change smoke alarm batteries 2x per year, preferably when you change your clocks in fall and spring. Although that was in March—if you forgot or didn’t have the time—it’s still the right time to check the batteries in your smoke detectors and change them for safety.

Statistic: Injuries or death from home fires with smoke alarms that didn’t go off 71% had missing, dead or disconnected batteries. Seniors or caregivers shouldn’t remove smoke detector batteries even if it is reacting to cooking smoke or shower steam; rather you should relocate your smoke alarm.

Recommended as part of your home care regime, make sure elders remember what the smoke alarm sounds like and know what to do. Review an emergency action plan of where to go. It is especially vital that family members and caregivers know what to do to save themselves and their senior-aged loved ones who more than likely will have walking, stability, mobility, physical and/or cognitive challenges.