To assess if your home is safe, compare it against these room-by-room recommendations:
Core Principle: Home is a place of comfort and safety. Identifying potential hazards is crucial – the more problems you find, the greater the risk. Once your home’s layout is established, avoid frequent changes; a familiar environment is the safest.
1. Stairways & Halls
- Lighting: Are hall/stairway lights bright and switches easily reachable?
- Clutter: Is clutter or debris blocking walkways or stairs?
- Handrails: Are handrails secure, continuous, and clean?
- Rugs/Carpet: Are stair coverings loose, torn, or slippery?
- Recommendations: Contact your building manager to ensure bright, easily activated lighting. Handrails must be sturdy on both sides if possible. In buildings without elevators, install sturdy resting chairs every few flights. Add high-contrast, non-slip strips or bright paint to stair edges. Secure or remove loose rugs/carpeting. Keep walkways clear.
2. Entryway
- Doormats: Are mats flat, non-slip, and securely anchored (or are they curled/tripping hazards)?
- Sitting Area: If you remove shoes, is there a sturdy bench or chair nearby?
- Recommendations: Use only flat, non-slip mats or remove them. Place a stable chair in the entryway for sitting while putting on/taking off shoes to avoid bending or squatting.
3. Living Room
- Sofas/Chairs: Is furniture overly soft, making standing difficult?
- Furniture Stability: Is any furniture wobbly or unstable?
- Tripping Hazards: Are electrical cords, lamp wires, or phone cables crossing walkways?
- Path Obstructions: Do you need to navigate around furniture to move between rooms?
- Recommendations: Add firm cushions to overly soft seating; chairs/sofas should allow feet to rest flat with knees level or slightly lower. Keep pathways between rooms wide open and free of furniture. Secure cords against walls or baseboards using cord organizers.
4. Bedroom
- Accessibility: Can you easily reach a light switch and phone from bed?
- Night Lighting: Is there pathway lighting or a nightlight?
- Mattress: Is the bed too soft, making getting up difficult?
- Recommendations: Ensure bedside essentials (light, phone, glasses, water) are within easy reach without twisting/stretching. Use a firm mattress if needed for support. Install nightlights along pathways to the bathroom. Keep a flashlight near the bed.
5. Kitchen
- Accessibility: Are frequently used cooking items within easy reach?
- Ventilation: Does the stove hood effectively remove smoke and cooking odors?
- Flooring: Is the floor prone to spills or greasy spots?
- Recommendations: Store commonly used items near the stove/workspace. Clean range hood filters regularly. Immediately clean spills. Use non-slip, absorbent kitchen mats near the sink and stove if floors are slippery.
6. Bathroom
- Grab Bars: Are secure grab bars installed in the shower/tub area and near the toilet?
- Slip Resistance: Are shower/tub surfaces and flooring slip-resistant?
- Accessibility: Are toiletries within easy reach without overstretching?
- Water Spills: Does water splash outside the sink or tub/shower?
- Recommendations: Use non-slip bath mats inside the tub/shower and absorbent mats outside it. Install grab bars approved for bathroom use. Consider a shower stool/bench. Keep toiletries accessible. Use aerators on faucets to reduce splash or wipe up spills immediately.
7. Balcony/Deck (If Applicable)
- Enclosure: Is it safely enclosed? Is the surface wet in rain?
- Surfaces: Are the floor tiles slippery when wet?
- Accessibility: Does hanging laundry require leaning dangerously?
- Recommendations: Ensure safe enclosures/walls. Use non-slip decking/tiles and promptly wipe wet surfaces. Install a retractable clothesline system for safe access.
8. Ladders/Reaching
- High Items: How often do you need a step stool or ladder?
- Recommendations: Store items within easy reach, avoiding high shelves. Use only sturdy step stools with wide steps and non-slip feet; always have three points of contact (two feet + one hand, or two hands + one foot). Never use unstable chairs/boxes.
9. Lighting
- Switch Access: Can you turn lights on before entering dark rooms/stairways?
- Brightness: Is overall lighting sufficient?
- Recommendations: Install convenient lighting and 3-way switches at stair top/bottom. Use illuminated switches. Ensure adequate wattage/brightness (especially with aging eyes). Replace dim bulbs promptly. Use lamp shades/diffusers to prevent glare.
10. Pets
- Awareness: Do indoor pets lack identification (like bells) to locate them?
- Recommendations: Pets bring joy but can become unexpected trip hazards. Attach a small bell to their collar to help locate them, especially if they lay in walkways.
By completing these checks and implementing the recommendations, you can significantly reduce fall risks and make your home a safer environment.