Making your home safe and accessible
There are a variety of ways to make your surroundings safer and easier to manage so they meet your needs as you age. Go through your home room by room to identify potential problems and safety issues. First, correct any immediate dangers, such as loose stair railings and poor lighting, and then work on other ways to ensure you will be as safe as possible at home.
See the Home Safety Checklist for suggestions to help you identify and remove hazards around the house. Keep in mind that it may not be necessary to make all of the suggested changes. It is important, however, to reevaluate home safety every so often as your needs change.
Are you worried that making changes might be expensive? You may be able to get help paying for repairs and safety updates to your home. Check with your state housing finance agency, social services department, community development groups, or the federal government for financial aid programs and discounts. You can also visit our Get Support page or contact us for help finding resources.
The following room-by-room checklist can alert you to potential hazards
in an older person’s home. Use it to identify any changes or repairs needed
to help keep them safe. Keep in mind that it may not be necessary to make all of
the suggested changes. It is important, however, to reevaluate home safety every so often as
the person’s behavior and needs change.
Throughout the home
Are any repairs needed?
Is the house well lit, inside and out, particularly at the top and bottom of stairs?
Do any lightbulbs need to be replaced?
Are emergency phone numbers (ambulance, Poison Control, doctors, hospital, etc.)
and the person’s home address near all telephones?
Is there clutter, which can cause disorientation and confusion and increase the risk
of falling?
Is mail, recycling, or trash piling up? Do there need to be more trash and recycling
containers around the house?
Is each bottle of prescription medicine clearly labeled with the person’s name, name
of the drug, drug strength, dosage frequency, and expiration date?
If there are guns in the home, are they locked up and unloaded, with ammunition
stored separately?
Floors
Are there any tripping hazards at exterior entrances or inside the house (throw rugs,
for example)?
Are there non-slip strips or mats on tile and wood floors or surfaces that may get
wet? Are carpets fixed firmly to the floor?
Are all walking areas free of furniture and extension and electrical cords?
Have smoke and carbon monoxide alarms been installed near the kitchen and in all
bedrooms? Have the batteries been checked recently?
Stairs
Are the stairs manageable, or is a ramp or gate needed?
Could handrails be installed on both sides of the staircase?
on each flight of stairs?
Are any outdoor steps sturdy and textured to prevent falls in wet or icy weather?
Mark the edges of steps with bright or reflective tape.
Bathrooms
Are there grab bars near toilets and in the tub or shower?
Have nonskid adhesive strips, decals, or mats been placed in the tub and shower?
If the bathroom is uncarpeted, consider placing these strips next to the tub, toilet,
and sink as well.
Have a plastic shower stool and a hand-held shower head been installed to make
bathing easier?
Is the water heater set at 120° F to avoid scalding tap water?
Is there a night light to make overnight trips to the bathroom safer?
Kitchen
Are there safety knobs and an automatic shut-off switch on the stove?
Is there enough food in the fridge? Is any of it spoiled? Are there staple foods (such
as cereal, sugar, canned soup) in the cabinets?
Has a drain trap been installed in the kitchen sink to catch anything that may
otherwise become lost or clog the plumbing?
Outdoors
Are there secure locks on all outside doors and windows?
If a walker or wheelchair is needed, can the entrances to the house be modified —
perhaps by putting in a ramp to the front door?
Is there a small bench or table by the entry door to hold bags and packages while
unlocking the door?
Is outside lighting adequate? Light sensors that turn on lights automatically as you
approach the house may be useful.
Have bushes and foliage been pruned away from walkways and doorways?
If there is a swimming pool, is it safe? Restrict access to a swimming pool by fencing
it with a locked gate, covering it, and closely supervising it when in use.
Have you addressed any uneven surfaces or walkways, hoses, and other objects that
may cause a person to trip?
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