Most seniors want to stay in their homes as they age, and for good reason. Aging in place isn't just a matter of comfort; it has significant benefits for both physical and mental well-being. By remaining in their own homes, seniors can enhance their life satisfaction, improve their quality of life, and maintain a higher sense of self-esteem. It can also help seniors to avoid some of the health risks that can come with communal living environments.

However, for older adults aging in place, fall risk is a serious concern. Approximately one in four people aged 65 and older experience a fall each year, which can lead to severe injuries, hospital stays, and a loss of independence. Natural physical changes contribute to increased fall risk, such as muscle weakness, poor balance, and vision loss. These internal factors can be compounded by external hazards within the home, including loose rugs, clutter, and inadequate lighting, as well as potential side effects from certain medications.

Making Your Home Safe and Accessible

Many home-based falls are caused by common living hazards that are easy to fix. Use this room-by-room safety checklist to help reduce risk of falls in the home:

1) Clear your pathways 

A cluttered pathway is a major tripping hazard. With a few simple adjustments, you can create a straight and clear route through every room in your home. 

• Keep a clear path: Arrange furniture to create a straight, unobstructed path. This makes it easier and safer to move from one area to another. 

• Remove or secure rugs: Throw rugs and area rugs can easily slip underfoot - or the edges can curl up, causing a tripping hazard. Remove throw rugs and area rugs when possible. If you want to keep them, make sure to secure them firmly with a non-slip rug pad or double-sided tape. 

• Manage cords and wires: Wires and cords running across the floor are a common tripping hazard. Coil or tape them securely against the wall or baseboard to keep them out of sight and away from your feet. 

• Declutter the floor: Anything on the floor can be a risk. Make sure to remove any stacked objects, including books, papers, boxes, shoes, and blankets, to keep your pathways clear.

2) Safer Stairs

Slips and falls on stairs are a major risk, but you can significantly reduce the danger with these simple steps. Here’s what you can do to make your staircase safer for everyone in your home. 

• Keep stairs clear: Remove all shoes, books, and other objects from the stairs. A cluttered stairway is a fall waiting to happen. 

• Secure your carpeting: Loose or torn carpet on steps can be a tripping hazard. Reattach any loose sections, or consider removing the carpeting and installing non-slip safety treads or non-slip strips instead.

• Install sturdy handrails: Make sure there are full-length handrails on both sides of the stairs. Check that they are firmly attached, and tighten or replace any that feel loose. 

• Improve the lighting: A well-lit staircase is essential for safety. Install a light directly over the stairs with switches at both the top and bottom. For extra visibility at night, use night lights in nearby outlets. 
• Increase visibility: Make the edges of your steps easier to see, especially in low light. You can do this by painting or taping a contrasting color strip on the top edge of each step.

3) Safer Kitchen

The kitchen is often the heart of the home, but it can also be a source of falls. These two simple adjustments can help you navigate your kitchen more safely.

• Rearrange your cupboards: Avoid having to stretch or use a stepstool by keeping commonly-used items on shelves that are easy to reach. Move the most frequently-used items to storage between waist and shoulder level. 

• Use a sturdy stepstool: For those items you can't rearrange, have a sturdy stepstool with a handrail available. Always use a proper stepstool instead of a chair, which can be unstable and lead to a fall.

4) Safer Bedrooms

The path between bedrooms and the bathroom can be one of the riskiest trips of the day, especially at night. Here are a few ways to make your bedroom a safer space.

• Keep lights within reach: Make sure a lamp is within easy reach of your bed. This lets you turn on the light before you get up, preventing you from fumbling in the dark. It's also a good idea to keep a flashlight nearby in case the power goes out. 

• Light the path to the bathroom: Use night lights or glow-in-the-dark tape to create a lit pathway from your bed to the bathroom. This helps you safely navigate your room at night without having to turn on bright overhead lights that can disrupt your sleep.

5) Bathroom Safety

Bathrooms are one of the most common places for a fall, but you can make them much safer with a few key additions.

• Prevent slips in the shower or tub: Make sure your shower or tub floor has a secure, non-slip surface. You can add a non-slip rubber mat or apply non-skid strips to the floor to provide better traction and prevent falls. 

• Install sturdy grab bars: Have a professional install grab bars next to the toilet and inside the shower or tub. These provide a firm handhold to help you safely sit down, stand up, and move around the space.

• Consider a transfer bench: If stepping over the side of the tub is difficult, a transfer bench can be a great solution. You can sit on the bench from the outside, then safely slide across the seat into the tub. 

• Add a shower chair: For anyone who has trouble balancing or standing for long periods, a shower chair offers a stable place to sit. This can make showering much easier and safer.

6) Other Household Tips

In addition to room-specific changes, these general household tips can help prevent falls in the home.

• Brighten up your home: Make sure your house is well-lit. Replacing low-watt light bulbs with fluorescent or bright white bulbs can help illuminate pathways and reduce the risk of a misstep. 

• Wear proper footwear: Avoid going barefoot or wearing only socks and slippers at home, as this increases your risk of falling. Wearing shoes inside your home provides better grip and stability. To reduce the spread of dirt, keep "indoor" shoes by the door that are only worn inside.

For more information about fall risk, and for more home safety modifications, visit the National Council on Aging: www.ncoa.org/article/how-to-prevent-falls-with-home-safety-modifications/