My dad is 80 next month and for his present he's asked for...

[Startstruck]

Something to make their polished wooden floors less slippery, after mum slipped and badly banged her head.

They've been dangerous for decades because mum polishes them weekly with beeswax polish, on her hands and knees....

I mean, apart from the fact it's a rubbish present, it doesn't exist, does it?

Re elders and independence - my father was 93 before he revealed that he only used the stairlift to take the bedding/washing up and downstairs. To be fair he was really happy when they readjusted the cornering so both he and my mother might use it.

A pair of Crocs

If you ask health professionals about mats, rugs, runners etc for the elderly, they’ll tell you that they are a big trip hazard.

My mother insisted on all sorts like this around her pokey flat and at a healthy 40 I found them dangerous. On day one they’re not so bad, but before long they end up with curled corners and rucks everywhere.

Elderly folk are so stubborn sometimes, even when it's not in their best interests.
Why are they preserving something that can/ will cause them potential injury?
I think you need to tackle it head on OP and be quite firm. It'll be a broken bone next. My grandma slipped on ice, broke both arms and we believe it triggered the dementia in her, as she never really properly recovered after that

Bees wax is a ridiculous thing to put on a wood floor. I'd refuse to visit until she stopped doing it.

You could get him "reef boots" or other wetsuit boots or shoes meant for gripping in wet slippy conditions. He might find them tricky to get on at 80 though.

If socks don't work and they won't accept anything that covers the floor, then no, there is no solution other than your mum stops polishing the floor!

Maybe lean into it and get them each a pair of roller skates? At least then they'll be prepared to be slippy sliding everywhere. You could also get helmets, knee and elbow pads.

I used to be a carer and found one of my clients boiling a kettle for a hot water bottle, filling it and then putting it in the microwave
When I asked WTF he was doing he said that it got cold in the 5 seconds he took to pour the water

Could you suggest fitted carpets to your Dad to protect your Mum and suggest them to her to protect your Dad, all whilst protecting and preserving the wonderful wooden floor? My Mum used to polish literally everything too and scrub the doorstep on her hands and knees every week. I travelled down to visit her once and arrived 40 mins early. I caught her at 82 years old standing on her kitchen steps with flash in a bowl wiping off the tops of the doors FFS. She told me she did it every week. 🤷

Definitely sand and refinish with osmo. You can talk up how similar it is to beeswax in that it is ‘feeding’ the wood, but does it so much better than beeswax. It’s the scandi way and they are the masters of the wooden floor historically. Also she can regularly top it up with the special osmo cleaner/conditioner which contains more oil so she will still have the pleasure of ‘doing the floor’?

I LOVE Osmo oil coated wood floor- it is non slip!

BUT can it be applied over a polished surface?Having it sanded off would be a ball ache.

I can just imagine the gorgeous smell of hand buffed floors- mansion polish! the smell of my childhood.

But rugs used to be like skateboards in them.

Method Wooden floor polish works a treat and is not slippy. It might take a few goes though to get the bees wax off - if indeed it can - but maybe worth a try?

Holy moly...that's hardcore.

If this didn't involve your elderly parents and an awful injury, it would be just ever so slightly amusing! 🫢

@ShadyPaws When I asked WTF he was doing he said that it got cold in the 5 seconds he took to pour the water

That sounds very much like early Alzheimer's. Sadly so does the OP's DM's obsessive behaviour.

@OP, What does your DM say when you ask/tell her to stop the polishing??

I went to a lady a few times when I was a carer and she would insist on having a bowl of water freshly boiled out of the kettle and no cold water mixed in. The first time I took the bowl through I put it to one side to cool down, but she asked me to put it in front of her. I did but said to be careful cos it's red hot. Nope she got her flannel and soap, dunked the flannel in and proceeded to get washed. About a minute later the water was now cold and would I go top it back up. A gentleman I also used to care for would literally down a cup of tea as soon as it was set in front of him. He'd have finished his whilst I was frantically blowing on mine just to cool it enough to sip. Another gentleman would make a cup of coffee and then put the cup straight into the microwave to nuke it until it was hotter than the sun. None of them had dementia.

He was actually sharp as a tack
Watched me once trying to swipe in with my keys (I was tired) and pointed out I needed my phone. Asked for a coffee and said I had best make myself one too
Just very adamant about stuff being hot, he was the same with soup too

We discovered a lovely oak floor (1930s vintage) under the living room carpet of our house. It must have been covered for years. After a good clean and wash I polished a small area with beeswax to see if it would take a shine - it looked lovely but was as slippery as ice.

A friend who used to own a cleaning company specialising in schools cleaning recommended a product they use in schools - Carefree Eternum. It comes in 5 litre plastic bottles, it's a white liquid that looks like milk. You just paint it on the floor. It comes up all shiny, is very hard wearing and totally non-slip. Just wash it if it gets dirty... I should think if the floor has been beeswaxed you'd have to go over it with white spirit or similar first to get the wax off before applying this finish.

https://www.express-cleaning-supplies.co.uk/products/Floorcare/Polishes%2C+Wax+%26+Sealers/469000+Carefree+Eternum+Polish+x+5L/63989221

Your dad is a sweetheart! ❤️
Would some railings on the walls or grab bars help?

This is why (cheap)fitted carpet is the answer except for in the kitchen/toilet. It also has the benefit of added cushioning if you do still happen to fall. It is far less likely though. It can easily be taken up in future when no longer required for safety.
Perhaps point out hip replacement costs/NHS waiting lists as an incentive to avoid any falls and broken bones.

Surfboard wax?

Well if your mum won't stop polishing the floor and the floor can't be covered, then slippers is the only option. Or a rug with a foxy grip liner from John Lewis