BARTOW - (September 10, 2009) – In honor of Grandparent’s Day (Sunday, September 13), Polk County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and Polk County Fire Rescue encourage family members to take some time this weekend to make sure their grandparents are safe from fire and fall hazards in their homes.
The Office of the State Fire Marshal recommends the following tips to grandparents (elderly adults):
• Provide smokers with large, deep ashtrays. Wet cigarette butts and ashes
before emptying trays into wastebasket.
• Be kitchen wise. Wear tight fitting clothes or rolled-up sleeves when
cooking. Use oven mitts to handle hot pans. Never leave cooking
unattended.
• Have an escape plan and practice it twice a year.
• Use only rugs with rubber, non-skid backing.
• See an eye specialist once a year. Poor vision can increase your
chances of falling.
• Exercise regularly to build strength and improve your balance and
coordination.
According to the National Grandparents Council, Marian McQuade, a housewife in Fayette County, WV, is the founder of National Grandparent’s Day. Her primary motivation was to champion the cause of lonely elderly in nursing homes. She also hoped to persuade grandchildren to tap in to the wisdom and heritage provided by grandparents. In 1978, President Jimmy Carter proclaimed that National Grandparents Day would be recognized every year on the first Sunday following Labor Day.
-30-