risk assessment Safety at home

Epilepsy affects people differently. People who have their seizures controlled with medication may not face any particular risks to their safety. If you have seizures risks to your safety may depend on the type of seizures you have; what happens to you during a seizure and how they affect you; and how you feel afterwards. Some people may not want to put safety measures in place, however it can be important to get a balance between making situations safer and freedom of choice. This form can help you to think about what the risks are to you because of your seizures. As your epilepsy can change over time, you may need to re-assess your situation at a later date. You can fill this form in yourself, or if you need help you could ask a friend, carer or your healthcare professional (such as a GP or neurologist) to help you. It can help to involve other people so that they can tell you about what they see happening to you when you have seizures. To help you think about possible risks to your safety at home and when you are out you may want to use our additional risk assessment forms, ‘About your seizures’ or ‘Safety outside your home’. These are only suggestions and you may want to add your own ideas about what would be helpful for you. When you see this symbol it means further information is available on our website or by calling our helpline.

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Emergency contact’s name ..............................................................................

Address ..........................................................................................................

Emergency contact’s address............................................................................

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Telephone ......................................................................................................

Telephone .......................................................................................................

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Date of birth ..................................................................................................

Surgery address ...............................................................................................

www.epilepsysociety.org.uk

01494 601 400

Epilepsy Society, Chesham Lane Chalfont St. Peter, Bucks SL9 0RJ Epilepsy Society is the working name for The National Society for Epilepsy, registered charity number 206186

Monday to Friday 10am to 4pm (national call rate)

Stairs

If your home has stairs you may want to consider whether there are any risks to your safety because of your seizures.

Ideas/things to think about

What could help me

• Going up the stairs on your hands and knees, and coming down the stairs on your bottom can reduce the risk of injury if a seizure happens. • If possible try to reduce the number of times you go up and down the stairs. • Using hand rails can be helpful if you have difficulty with co-ordination after a seizure. • Stair gates, at the top of the stairs may prevent a fall if the bedroom or bathroom doors are close to the top of the stairs. • You might want to consider how you arrange your rooms. For example, do you have a toilet downstairs, or could you have your bathroom downstairs?

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Some heating systems have an increased risk of injury, for example burns and scalds.

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For some people there is a high risk of injury from falling down the stairs during a seizure. Heaters, radiators and open fires

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Ideas/things to think about

What could help me

• Radiator covers and pipe guards can protect against burns and scalds from exposed hot pipes. Radiators can cause injuries if you fall on the sharp edge. Using a large towel to cover the radiator can be an alternative. • Thermostatic controls can help to keep radiators at low temperature and reduce the risk of burns and scalds. • Using furniture as a barrier, for example, the sofa in front of a radiator, can protect you from a potential injury. • If you have an open fire a fixed fire guard can reduce the risk of falling into the fire during a seizure.

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Smoke and fire

The UK Fire Service recommends working smoke detectors and fire extinguishers for everyone.

Ideas/things to think about

What could help me

• Consider having smoke alarms fitted on each level of your house, for example one upstairs and one downstairs. • Some smoke alarms can alert a specifically identified person or carer or the fire service, as well as sounding an audible alarm. • Some alarms can also be wired into the mains and linked to an external monitoring service. This may be useful if you are not likely to hear an alarm during a seizure. • If you smoke, you may want to consider possible risks of smoking indoors. • Contact your local fire service for a free fire awareness home visit.

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Windows and doors

Some glass can fracture and break if someone falls against it during a seizure.

Ideas/things to think about

What could help me

• Fitting toughened ‘safety glass’ means that the glass won’t break if someone falls against it. • Consider using safety glass film (which can be stuck to the glass). This can stop glass from splintering when it’s broken. • Using two locks on external doors can reduce the risk of wandering if you become confused during a seizure. • Consider fitting rounded door handles that don’t have sharp edges, as these can be less likely to cause an injury. • Doors that open both ways can make access easier in an emergency. Concertina doors or doors that slide sideways may be a useful alternative if space is limited.

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In the kitchen



Here are some ideas to make cooking safer if you have seizures.

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Ideas/things to think about

What could help me

• If you have a conventional oven, using the back rings means that you are less likely to knock pans off during a seizure. • Turning pan handles outwards may avoid knocking them of the hotplates. • Using a cooking basket for boiling foods can reduce the risk of burns and scalds as the basket can be lifted out and drained. • Grilling food rather than frying it can reduce the risk of a fire if you leave the cooker unattended. • Using a gas cooker means that heat can be turned off quickly. • Cooker guards can stop you getting too close to the rings or burners and so reduce the chance of you getting burnt. • Microwaves can be safer than conventional ovens as they turn off automatically after the cooking time has ended. • A microwave positioned at waist height can avoid the need for bending down or reaching up to use it. • A microwave can be used to heat water instead of a kettle. • Kettles that turn off automatically are safer than ones which you need to switch off. • Using a kettle cradle or tipper means that you don’t have to lift the kettle to pour water. • A cordless kettle is less likely to get tangled if you have a seizure when using it. • If you need to carry hot food or liquids to the table you might want to use a trolley to reduce the chance of dropping hot items if you have a seizure. • Using plastic or shatter proof crockery and containers can reduce the risk of injury from sharp edges if broken. • Using an electric chopper to chop fruit and vegetables can be helpful if you have concerns about using knives. • Cordless irons are less likely to cause you to trip or get tangled in the cable during a seizure.

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In the bedroom

Ideas/things to think about

What could help me ...........................................................

Some people have seizures when they are asleep (sometimes called sleep seizures or nocturnal seizures). If you have seizures at night here are some ideas to keep you safer.

• You might want to think about choosing a bed that is low to the ground (a low-level bed or futon). • A bed without a hard frame (divan type) with a padded headboard can help to reduce injuries. • Some people use padded bed sides. These need to be carefully selected to make sure that your arms or legs don’t get trapped by accident. • If you have seizures at night where you shake (convulse) you might want to consider a bed alarm that is set off when you have a seizure. Other types of alarm are designed to go off if you fall out of bed or if you wander around during a seizure. • Using safety pillows that are ventilated instead of feather pillows, means that you are still able to breathe if you are face down on the pillow. See our factsheet alarms and safety aids. Ideas/things to think about

What could help me

• If you have a bath, running cold water first or having thermostatically controlled taps means that the water will not get too hot if you fall into the bath. • Having a bath or shower when there is someone else in the house means that they can help you if you have a seizure. Although this may not be possible for everyone (if you live alone). • Consider using a non-slip bath mat or cushioning taps and hard edges with a folded towel. • Fitting a level access shower and using a shower curtain rather than a screen can make it easier for someone to help you if you have a seizure while you are in the shower. • Using a padded shower seat can reduce the risk of injury if you fall. • Having soap trays and shelves that are recessed into the wall are less likely to cause injury during a seizure than those that stick out. • Bathroom doors that open both ways can make it easier for other people to get into the room if you have a seizure and need help. • Leaving the door unlocked and using an ‘engaged’ sign means that you can use the bathroom or toilet in privacy but that other people can get into the room to help you if you have a seizure.

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In the bathroom

Having a shower can be safer if you have seizures where you become unconscious.

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DIY

Ideas/things to think about

What could help me

• Consider using power tools that have an automatic safety cut-out. • Power tools that use batteries rather than mains power can be safer, as there is no cable to damage if you have a seizure while using them. • Using a circuit breaker at the socket can help protect against the risk of electrocution. • Using additional power sockets rather than extension cables or multi-point plugs can be safer. • If you are in any doubt about doing a job yourself, you may want to talk to a professional such as an electrician or plumber.

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In the garden

Ideas/things to think about

What could help me .................................................................

Here are some ideas to help make your garden and gardening safer.

• Grass or bark chippings are a softer alternative to concrete or gravel and can reduce the risk of severe injuries if you fall. • Plants, shrubs or rubber matting can be useful to cover hard surfaces. • Consider using a petrol lawn mower that stops automatically when the handle is released. This can reduce the chance of cutting through the power cable if you have a seizure. • If you use an electric mower, using a circuit breaker at the socket can help reduce the risk of electrocution. • Think about securing your garden by putting a padlock on your gate if there is a chance that you may become confused or wander about during a seizure. • Replacing steps with ramps can reduce the risk of injury if seizures happen. • If you have a pond, planting bushes or shrubs around the deeper side can stop you getting too close to the edge. • Some pond safety grids sit just under the surface of the water and can hold your weight if you fall on it, without spoiling the look of the pond.



It can be helpful to think about the type and frequency of your seizures and the potential risk of each job.

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Alarms

Memory aids

First aid

Ideas/things to think about

What could help me

• Some people find it reassuring to have an alarm to get help if they have a seizure. • There are lots of different alarm systems available, suitable for different people and different types of seizures. • Some alarm systems can be linked to a community alarm service, and are usually available through your local social services department. See our factsheet alarms and safety aids.

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Ideas/things to think about

What could help me

• Drug wallets can help you to remember to take your medication. • Using a seizure diary can help you keep track of when you have seizures. • Setting reminders on your mobile phone can help you to remember to do everyday tasks or something that isn’t part of your usual routine for example, a doctor’s appointment. See our factsheet drug wallets and medication aids and our leaflet memory. Call us for a free seizure diary.

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Ideas/things to think about

What could help me

• You might want to keep a list of people to contact in case of an emergency and information about how they can help you if you have a seizure. • Keeping a first aid box handy and telling friends or family where it is so they can help if you injure yourself during a seizure. • If you have a smartphone you can download our first aid and epilepsy application to your phone. See our leaflet first aid and our factsheet the recovery position or visit our website to download our free app.

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