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Although we’re happy to treat you and take care of you when you need us, we also want you to be as safe and healthy as possible in your day-to-day life.
Here’s how to make your home safer and prevent accidents that could send you to an urgent care or the ER:
Falls
Whether you have kids or pets, carpet or hardwood – there are hundreds of opportunities to trip and fall in your home every day. In fact, falls cause most home injuries and deaths.
To make your home as fall-proof as possible:
- Install – and use – handrails and night lights or “runway lights” in stairways.
- Use non-skid mats both inside and outside the bathtub or shower.
- Consider installing grab bars near toilets and bathtubs.
- Using a ladder? Get a buddy and ask them to hold it while you’re on it.
Burns
Although most burns at home happen in the kitchen (when cooks or hungry kids are distracted or don’t handle hot items safely), there are some other places in your home where burns can occur.
To reduce burn risks:
- Position pot handles away from the edge of the stove.
- Don’t let little helpers get too close, and keep pets out from under foot.
- Know what’s in your grill before you light it, and beware of flare-ups.
- Don’t set water heaters higher than 120 Fahrenheit.
Cuts
Like burns, most cuts happen in the kitchen, but you can also get cut opening packages, using power tools or doing a variety of other things around the home.
Ways to prevent cuts include:
- Avoid distractions, like TV or cell phones, while cutting or working with tools.
- Keep knives sharp – the better they do their job, the less chance there is they will slip and cut you instead.
- Keep knives far from a counter edge where they can easily be knocked off.
- Never try to catch a falling knife.
Poisoning
Children get poisoned, sometimes fatally, when they consume things like detergent gel pods or cleaning chemicals, and adults often get accidental poisoning by incorrectly taking medications.
To guard against poisoning for children and adults:
- Store potentially harmful supplies, medications and substances in their original packaging and containers, so dosages and directions for use aren’t lost. Keep these items out of reach for children and under childproof locks.
- Take medications, especially painkillers, as directed, and keep a written list of when you took your last dose.
- Turn on a light when you give or take medicine at night to ensure you are taking the correct medicine and dose.
If you think you or a loved one may have been poisoned, call 911 or the American Association of Poison Control Centers at 1-800-222-1222 .
When accidents happen – CareNow® is here for you and your family
No matter how many precautions you take, we know accidents happen. If you experience a minor fall, burn or cut, visit your local CareNow® Urgent Care for fast, expert care.
Walk-ins are always welcome, but you can also use our Web Check-In® feature to wait from home before we're ready for you.
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