Khaberni - Health experts have warned about the increasing incidents of accidental poisoning among the elderly, as individuals over the age of 65 are now twice as likely to die from these accidents compared to the rest of the population.
Recent research has shown a significant rise in incidents where the elderly have unintentionally consumed toxic household products, such as cleaning sprays, laundry capsules, chemicals used in gardening, in addition to overdosing on medications.
The experts, according to the "Daily Mail", confirmed that the elderly are more at risk due to several factors, including dementia which can cause confusion about the use of household products, impaired vision making it difficult to read labels or warnings, along with the myriad of medications they take daily, increasing the risk of incorrect dosages or mixing them up.
Rebecca Guy, Policy Director at RoSPA, said, "Paying attention for just a few seconds can prevent someone from swallowing a toxic product. These incidents are not rare, but expected and can be prevented."
The guidelines include:
Keep cleaning and laundry products in locked cabinets or high up, away from the reach of elderly people.
Store medications in special organizers out of sight.
Maintain products in their original packaging that includes warnings, and avoid placing similar bottles next to each other.
Paul Edwards, the Chief Nursing Officer at the dementia department in the UK, noted that colored cleaning bottles can confuse individuals with dementia, who might think they are food items. He emphasized that balancing independence and safety is the biggest challenge, and simple steps can significantly reduce the likelihood of accidents.
