How to Prevent Falls at Home: A Room-by-Room Checklist

Falls are common as we get older, but many can be prevented. More than one out of four older people falls each year, but less than half tell their doctor.¹ Making your home safer is one of the steps the CDC recommends to lower your risk.² Grab a pen and walk through your home with this room-by-room checklist.

Why it matters

• About 37% of people who fall report an injury that needed medical treatment or kept them from their usual activities for at least a day.¹
• Each year, nearly 319,000 older people are hospitalized for hip fractures.¹
• Falls caused 88% of emergency room visits and hospital stays for hip fractures.¹
• Falling once doubles your chances of falling again.¹

Floors

• Move furniture so your path is clear.³
• Remove throw rugs, or use double-sided tape or a non-slip backing so they won't slip.³
• Keep papers, shoes, books and other objects off the floor.³
• Coil or tape cords and wires next to the wall so you can't trip over them.³

Stairs and steps

• Always keep objects off the stairs.³
• Fix loose or uneven steps, and make sure carpet is firmly attached to every step.³
• Have a light and light switch at the top and bottom of the stairs.³
• Make sure handrails are on both sides of the stairs and run the full length of the stairs.³

Kitchen

• Keep things you use often on lower shelves, about waist high.³
• If you must use a step stool, get one with a bar to hold on to. Never use a chair as a step stool.³

Bathroom

• Put a non-slip rubber mat or self-stick strips on the floor of the tub or shower.³
• Have grab bars put in next to and inside the tub, and next to the toilet.³

Bedroom

• Place a lamp close to the bed where it's easy to reach.³
• Put a nightlight on the path from your bed to the bathroom so you can see where you're walking.³

Beyond the home: more ways to lower your risk

• Ask your doctor to evaluate your risk for falling.²
• Ask your doctor or pharmacist to review your medicines, including over-the-counter ones, for any that could make you dizzy or sleepy.²
• Do exercises that make your legs stronger and improve your balance. Tai chi is one example.²
• See an eye doctor at least once a year and update your glasses as needed.²
• Ask whether you should take vitamin D, and get screened for osteoporosis.²

Had a fall? Tell your doctor, even if you weren't hurt. Since one fall raises the chance of another, it's worth talking about.

Sources

1. Facts About Older Adult Falls, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
2. Preventing Falls and Hip Fractures, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
3. Check for Safety: A Home Fall Prevention Checklist for Older Adults, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

For education only, not medical advice. Check with your doctor before starting a new exercise program, especially if you have a health condition.