Accidents are one of the major causes of hospital admission, morbidity and mortality among the elderly. It is therefore important to increase the elders' awareness of safety in everyday life.

Suitable clothing and footwear for the elderly

1. Wear light and fit clothing
2. Wear pants of suitable length
3. Avoid wearing slippers or sandal when going out
4. The sole of shoes should be non-slippery

Beware of changes in weather

1. Listen to weather report daily
2. Keep the house cool and well-ventilated during summer. Drink adequate water (8 cups a day) and avoid prolonged exposure under the sun to prevent heatstroke
3. Put on warm clothing with hat, mittens and scarf during cold winter
4. Food can help in keeping warm. Choose hot food with high calories e.g. easily digestible food like congee and rice noodles
5. Keep stock of convenient, high-caloric food at home e.g. biscuits and noodles
6. Keep the house warm. Heaters must be used with care to ensure safety, and adequate ventilation must be maintained
7. Appropriate exercise increases the blood circulation and helps to keep the body warm by generating more heat
8. High risk groups e.g. the frail elderly and those with chronic illnesses should be more alert to sudden changes in weather so as to take appropriate precautions. Contact neighbours or relatives for help if needed.

Prevention of fire, burn and scald

1. The handle of saucepan and mouth of kettle should be turned inwards during cooking to avoid being toppled over by accident
2. Beware of scald by steam when cooking without the lid of saucepan
3. Always uses gloves or towel as heat insulator when holding something hot
4. Avoid carrying containers which are full of hot liquid, especially for those who are frail
5. Use whistling kettle which will give you a signal as a reminder when the water is boiled
6. Before going out, make sure that all gas taps and the unused electrical appliances are switched off
7. After worshipping the ancestors , make sure that the candles and papers are burnt out before leaving
8. Keep all inflammable objects away from fire e.g. kerosine, newspaper, compressed fuel can, etc.
9. Do not refill kerosine stove when it is in use. After refilling the stove, remember to clean up the spillage of kerosine before lighting it
10. Keep paper and curtain away from burning candle or stove

Taking objects from height

1. Do not stand on foldable stool to get objects from height
2. When storing objects, those that are frequently used should be put on the middle shelf for easy transfer. Heavy and light objects which are rarely used should be put on the lower and upper shelves respectively

Drying of clothes

1. When drying the clothes, it would be safer to hang up the clothes in indoor area, or use the frame with pulling ropes