In-Home Senior Safety Checklist: Making a Senior’s Home a Safer Place

As your loved ones age, home safety becomes even more critical. Factors such as decreased balance, slowed reaction times, and increased fragility put seniors at a higher risk of falling and incurring injuries. Taking steps to make your loved one’s home safer is an essential aspect of senior care and can provide you with peace of mind by knowing they’re safe in their own home.

We’ve put together this convenient senior safety checklist – print it out and take it with you the next time you visit a senior loved one.  Whether they live independently or receive in-home care, a safer house can help to minimize their chance of serious injury.

General Home Safety Tips for Seniors

• The home is well-lit, inside and out
  • Night lights are present in hallways, stairwells, bedrooms, and bathrooms
  • Flashlights are available in every room
  • Glow tape is stuck on critical items (like the phone) to identify them in the dark.
  • Light switches are located near room entrances, including at the top and bottom of stairs.
• Stairwells are well-lit, free of objects, in good repair, and have sturdy handrails.
  • Stairs are marked for visibility with contrasting tape
  • Steps are uniform in size and height
  • Carpeting, plastic, and linoleum stair treads are secure with no snags or holes in carpets.
  • Floors aren’t slippery nor highly polished.
    
• Rooms are free of floor clutter; furniture patterns permit access to windows and doors.
  • Drawers, doors, and windows open easily
  • Window and door locks are secure and work properly
• Step stools are sturdy and are ideally equipped with support bars
• Medications are appropriately stored, and usage instructions are written down
• A list of family and emergency contact numbers is posted in a convenient area

Bathroom Safety Tips

• Shower and tub rails are present
• Anti-slip tape or materials are installed in tubs
• There is telephone access in the bathroom

Electrical Safety Tips

• Electrical cords are properly plugged in and safely tucked away
• Extension cords and power strips aren’t overloaded
• Electric appliances are a safe distance from water

Fire Prevention Safety Tips

• Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are present and have fresh batteries
• Electric heaters are placed away from curtains, rugs, and furnishings
• Fireplace chimneys are free of accumulation and checked yearly

Safety Tips for Outside the Home

• There is telephone access outside
• Tools and yard equipment are safely and securely stored
• Solvents, paints, and sprays are marked and stored away from heat sources
• Cleaners and poisons are marked
• Outdoor lighting over stairs and doorways is adequate and in working order
• Walking paths are clear and safe, with no holes in concrete
• Stairs and pathways are free of objects
• Stairs are equipped with secure stair rails
• Leaves and snow are cleared away

Following this safety checklist can ensure your senior loved one feels safe and secure in their own home.

At Cahoon Care, we recommend all clients apply the above safety tips to their homes. These tips are simple to execute, but they can help to prevent falls, accidents, and injuries. You can feel relief after using this checklist, knowing you’ve made your senior loved one’s home as safe as possible.
Some seniors may benefit from in-home care even with a home designed to maximize their safety. If you’re considering home care for a loved one, please call us at: 781-659-1877. We would be happy to speak with you about your loved one’s needs so that we can provide them with the care they need. Contact Cahoon Care today.

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