6 Pool Safety Tips for Your Senior Housing Apartments

As a property owner, manager, or staff member of a senior housing apartment complex, the safety of your tenants should be included in your rental checklist and prioritized. Whether it’s adding safety measures to stairwells, offering tenant support services, or creating pool safety protocols — you want your residents to feel secure in their homes.

Swimming pools can be an enjoyable amenity for your senior housing complex but also pose a potential hazard. With the right safety measures in place, you can ensure your pool doesn't become an accident waiting to happen.

That being said, here are six tips to make sure your pool is up-to-date on safety standards:

1. Install Proper Fencing and Gates Around the Pool Area

You should normalize having a fence or gate surrounding the pool area, with a self-closing and self-latching entryway. The fence should be tall enough to prevent anyone from climbing over it and the latch should be out of reach for any children who may come into contact with it.

If the pool is being used often, the surrounding pool area tends to be slippery and dangerous. To prevent any accidents, install non-slip mats around the pool area and make sure to properly maintain them to keep your residents safe. Remember, seniors don't have the balance that younger people may have. By considering this factor and others such as age and physical condition, you’ll be able to provide a safe pool environment for your residents.

2. Ensure Adequate Supervision at All Times

A must for medium to large housing properties with multiple tenants and guests is to ensure someone is supervising the pool area at all times.

It's important to remind your tenants and guests of the safety rules and etiquette while they are enjoying the pool. Keep in mind that some tenants may forget or not understand basic swimming safety tips, so it’s best to have an experienced lifeguard or supervisor available to help your residents stay safe.

a lifeguard can act as an instructor as well as a lifesaver. Ensure that the lifeguard is trained in lifesaving and first-aid techniques and can handle any emergency situation that may arise. In case you can't hire multiple personnel to supervise the pool area, make sure to limit the hours of operation. Seniors are likely to swim during the night due to cold weather so you can take advantage of this time by closing the pool area at night.

3. Make Sure There Is a Phone Near the Pool Area in Case of Emergencies

Included in our pool safety tips for senior housing apartments is the importance of keeping a phone near the pool area in case of any emergency.

An outlet in case of any emergency is always important, but even more so when dealing with senior citizens. Keep a phone near the pool area at all times in case of any emergency and include emergency contact numbers for your staff members, the local fire and police department, and any medical services close by.

Print a large contact number list and post it near the pool area and beside the emergency phone. Make sure to have someone behind the phone at all times to answer any emergency calls. This can be anyone from you, the property manager, a lifeguard, or another designated contact. You can also add local emergency contact numbers such as 911, the fire department, and the police.

4. Post Signs With Safety Rules and Regulations

One way to establish a safe pool environment is to post signs around the pool area that detail the safety rules and regulations.

These should include any rules and regulations you want your renters to follow. Invest in a few large, waterproof signs that detail the rules and regulations you want your renters to follow when using the pool. Make sure to have multiple signage that is visible enough to be read from a distance.

Post them in the hallways, elevators, and around the pool area so that your tenants can familiarize themselves with the rules. Make sure to research the important things to mention on safety signs.

To give a head start, here are some of the common pool rules you should include ensuring the safety of your tenants:

• No running, pushing, or horseplay in and around the pool area.
• Respect others’ personal property.
• Always shower before entering the pool.
• Do not use any glass containers near the pool.
• Never leave children unattended.
• Reach out for help in case of an emergency.

5. Provide Floating Devices and Life Preservers

Include life preservers or floating devices in your pool area to ensure the safety of seniors and other tenants. Make sure that they are easily accessible near the pool area. To cover all bases, you can also provide adult-sized arm floaties for adults who don’t know how to swim.

You can also invest in a few emergency pool ladders that tenants and guests can use to get out of the pool area in case of an emergency. Train your staff regularly about pool safety and the use of life-saving devices. This way, they know what to do and how to operate any emergency equipment in case of an emergency.

With proper precautions taken, senior living facilities can ensure that their swimming pools adhere to 55 and better safety goals.

6. Install Properly Working Lights and Alarms Around the Pool Area

Last on our list of pool safety tips for senior housing apartments is the installation of properly working lights and alarms around the pool area. Install properly working lights so that your tenants can easily spot any hazards or dangers near the pool.

Also, install emergency alarms around the pool area so that everyone in the vicinity can be immediately alerted about potential dangers. You can also invest in floating alarms that will alert you if anyone has fallen into the pool. CCTV cameras can also be installed to keep an eye on the pool area as well as to record any potential incidents protecting your tenants as well as you and your property in any case of legal proceedings. Make sure to have your security personnel monitor the pool area at all times in case of emergencies. Give them or your front desk access to the cameras to ensure that all your tenants are safe.

The Bottom Line

Having senior housing apartments can bring tons of business. But, keep in mind that many challenges, especially with the safety of your tenants, come with it. To prevent any accidents and injuries, make sure to follow all the pool safety tips mentioned in this article as they will help you protect your tenants and property from potential hazards.

By keeping your property safe, you will not only gain the trust of your tenants but also attract better tenants that are looking for a safe and secure environment.

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