Fall Prevention at Home: A Room-by-Room Checklist

One in four adults over 65 falls each year. Most of those falls happen at home, in familiar rooms, doing familiar things. The good news: most are preventable.

Bathroom — install grab bars beside the toilet and in the shower, use a non-slip mat, consider a shower chair, raise the toilet seat if needed. Bedroom — keep a clear path to the bathroom, add a motion-sensor nightlight, remove throw rugs. Living room — secure loose rugs with tape or remove them, tape down cords, ensure chairs have armrests for support. Kitchen — keep daily items at waist height, use a sturdy step stool with a handle (never a chair). Stairs — handrails on both sides, contrasting tape on step edges.

Footwear matters more than people think. Slippers without backs, socks alone on hard floors, and worn-out shoes all increase fall risk. Supportive shoes worn indoors are one of the cheapest interventions you can make.

If your loved one has already fallen once, the probability of another fall in the next year doubles. That is the moment to escalate — talk to their physician, schedule a PT evaluation, and consider day programming that provides supervision and safe movement.