Radon Check As Caregiving
Half of being smart is knowing what you are dumb about.
~ Solomon Short
Radon and Aging in Place
Radon is invisible, you can’t see it, smell it, or taste it, therefore your senses can’t alarm you and your family to the risk! It is a cancer-causing radioactive gas that may be a problem in your home. The Surgeon General has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States today.
The Threat by the Numbers
It’s clear your desire for remaining Independent is at risk if that “forever home” is contaminated by Radon. Radon is the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers, according to EPA estimates. Overall, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer. Radon is responsible for about 21,000 lung cancer deaths every year. About 2,900 of these deaths occur among people who have never smoked.
Get Your Home Checked
Aging-in-place professionals talk about home safety in terms of the built environment and in-Home support services, we warn about the perils of living alone, and tout the benefits of aging-in-place/smart home technology, yet seldom do I hear anyone mention radon. This is as important as any universal design kitchen or 24/hr. alert button is worn around the neck. Get your home checked period. This should be an essential part of any Care-at-Home Plan.
Steps
1. The EPA provides maps of Radon Zones around the country–check to see if your home is in a hot zone by clicking the link here: Radon Zone Map
2. Find a Radon Professional in your area by clicking the link here: Radon Professionals
To Review
We lock our homes at night, use smoke detectors, remodel for bathroom safety, leave on nightlights, eat right, don’t smoke, exercise, seek out technology, visit the doctor, and countless other measures to ensure successful aging in place in the homes we love–yet a silent killer could end it all…
Be savvy–get your home checked when you have that CAPS professional do a checklist run through the home. You’re Independence might just be at stake.
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VIDEO PSA
IDEA: Give a Radon Home Check as a gift to a Loved one!
Note: If you smoke and your home has high radon levels, you’re at high risk for developing lung cancer. Scientific studies of radon exposure indicate that children may be more sensitive to radon. This may be due to their higher respiration rate and their rapidly dividing cells, which may be more vulnerable to radiation damage–No Grandparents would want grandkids exposed on visits.