Home Safety

Stylish Home Updates That Make Aging Easier

AARP is a great source of information for seniors. One of the major areas of focus has always been on Aging-in-Place.

Check out this recent article that "explains how large and small renovations, stylish updates and space reconfigurations can improve safety and quality of life — allowing you to live more comfortably now and into the future.​"

Preventing Falls at Home: Room by Room

Many falls happen at home, where we spend much of our time and tend to move around without thinking about our safety. There are many changes you can make to your home that will help prevent falls and better ensure your safety.

The Apartment - A Guide to Creating a Dementia Friendly Home

The Alzheimer's Foundation of America (AFA) created The Apartment—a model studio residence built in AFA’s New York City headquarters to showcase ways that practical design and technology can greatly increase the quality of life for someone living with dementia and help family care partners protect their loved ones’ safety. Rosemary Bakker, President of Age-Friendly Design, was the lead designer who worked with AFA to design The Apartment.

Dementia-related illnesses impact the mind and affect virtually every aspect of a person’s life, including making many facets of daily living more difficult.

Most residences are not built with the needs of an individual living with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia-related illnesses in mind. However, almost every part of a residence can impact quality of life for someone living with a dementia-related illness and their family care partners. Even seemingly cosmetic choices, such as wall colors, furniture patterns, and dishware, make a difference.

The Safest Way to Get Up from a fall.

Use these five tactics if you take a spill.

"A fair amount of media and medical attention is paid to preventing falls among older adults — but there are times when people fall, despite taking the recommended precautions. Every year, more than 25 percent of adults 65 and older fall, and falling once doubles a person’s chances of falling again, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Sometimes a fall causes a serious injury such as a broken bone. Each year, at least 300,000 older people are hospitalized due to hip fractures, according to the CDC. If you have fractured a bone from falling, it’s best to stay where you are and call for help, if possible. Even if a bone isn’t broken, sometimes older adults have trouble getting up from a fall without assistance. This is partly because people don’t learn this skill and partly because people become more stiff and less agile as they get older."

Check this site to learn how to get up after a fall.

Fall Prevention - Patient and Caregiver Resources from the CDC

Falls affect us all—whether personally or someone we love or care about.

Every second of every day an older adult falls. In 2015 alone, more than one in four older adults reported falling and more than 28,000 older adults died as a result of falls—that’s 74 older adults every day.

There are simple steps you can take to prevent falls and decrease falls risks. CDC developed the STEADI (Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths & Injuries) initiative which includes educational materials and tools to improve fall prevention.

Use the included links to access useful information that can help prevent falls and increase independence.

Falls and Fractures in Older Adults: Causes and Preventions

A simple accident like tripping on a rug or slipping on a wet floor can change your life. If you fall, you could break a bone, which thousands of older adults experience each year. For older people, a broken bone can also be the start of more serious health problems and can lead to long-term disability.

HomeFit Guide

A free publication (available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese) featuring smart ways to make a home comfortable, safe and a great fit for older adults — and people of all ages.

This is where you start your Aging-in-Place journey and help protect yourself and family members from unnecessary falls or other injuries.

Can be viewed online, downloaded or ordered as a hardcopy document from AARP.

Older Adults and Balance Problems

Have you ever felt dizzy, lightheaded, or as if the room were spinning around you? These can be troublesome sensations. If the feeling happens often, it could be a sign of a balance problem.

Many older adults experience problems with balance and dizziness. Problems can be caused by certain medications, balance disorders, or other medical conditions. Balance problems are one reason older people fall. Maintaining good balance as you age and learning about fall prevention can help you get around, stay independent, and carry out daily activities.

Feeling Unsteady? Take These Steps to Improve Your Balance.

"Smart ideas to help you avoid falls"

"While you can slip and fall at any point in life, it’s more common with age. More than 1 out of 4 older adults take a tumble each year, and about 20 percent of these falls lead to injuries such as broken bones, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention."

This article by Hallie Levine appeared in the February 4th, 2024 issue of Consumer Reports and addresses methods to help avoid falls:

Successful bathroom transfers

"Statistics show that many preventable accidents occur in bathrooms. Falls are the top culprit in this category. Wet floors and small spaces are only some of the causes for concern in a bathroom setting. Caregivers must recognize these obstacles before assisting someone they love in the restroom. Ignoring them can be a disaster for both caregiver and the one being cared for."

As an answer to the bathroom-transfer dilemma, many devices and maneuver methods are available to ensure a caregiver’s and their loved one’s safety. It is also important for a caregiver to recognize that nothing is more personal than assisting another with intimate cares. Respect and concern for their loved one’s emotional comfort are as important as their physical care."

This informative article from Today's Caregiver provides some very useful information on how to safely manage bathroom transfers. To learn more, use the following link:

7 Bathroom Safety Tips to Prevent Falls and Injuries

"When it comes to elder care safety in a loved one's home, the bathroom deserves immediate attention.

More than 230,000 Americans are injured in the bathroom each year, according to the most recent survey by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Data shows that falls are the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries among older adults — leading to costly fractures, head injuries, and hospitalizations that can result in loss of independence and sometimes death."

This is a Visiting Angels article on preventing falls in the bathroom. Also includes a YouTube clip.

Visiting Angels® also helps to address falls risks through a Safe & Steady Fall Prevention that teaches seniors, families, and care providers how to make falls less likely by creating a safer home environment.

4 Home Safety Tips for Families Affected by Dementia

As part of National Safety Month this June, the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) is offering 4 home safety tips for families caring for loved ones living with Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia-related illness.

“Every family caregiver’s number one priority is making sure their loved one is safe, but most homes are not designed with the needs of someone living with dementia in mind,” said Jennifer Reeder, LCSW, AFA’s Director of Educational & Social Services. “From smart technology to simply removing clutter, there are steps caregivers can take to make a home safer and more dementia-friendly, improving their loved one’s quality of life as well as their own.”

Today's Caregiver magazine discusses four important safety tips for families caring for loved ones who are suffering from some form of dementia. Check the following link for more information.

NCOA Adviser - Home Safety for Older Adults: A Comprehensive Guide 2024

A guide on home safety for older adults, with a printable checklist to help assess your home for risks.

"Key Takeaways

• Prevent falls and other accidents by taking precautions and making safety modifications in the home.
• When assessing your home’s safety, consider going room-by-room with our comprehensive checklist to ensure you find all potential hazards.
• Many safety modifications can be made to your home that are affordable and easy to do yourself."

"As we age, our homes should continue to be a place where we feel safe, secure, and comfortable. But research shows the exact opposite is sometimes true.

A 2014 study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found 28.7% of adults over the age of 65 reported falling at least once in the last 12 months.¹ Another study by the Hospital for Special Surgery found 60% of falls happen in the home.² To help prevent falls and other accidents, you can make safety modifications to your environment and eliminate common hazards."

This extremely useful guide is presented by the National Council on Aging (NCOA). NCOA is one of the most recognized authorities on resources and support for the aging process. Check out this guide and take advantage of the fall prevention recommendations and home safety checklists. Click on the following link to access this important and useful information.

Check for Safety - A Home Prevention Checklist for Older Adults

To help avoid falls, use this checklist to find and fix hazards in your home.

14 Bathroom Updates for Now and Later as You Age in Place

Bathrooms present a high risk of falls and need special attention.

"The risk of falling rises with age as people experience decreased mobility, reduced eyesight, muscle weakness and other conditions. Each year, more than 10 percent of adults 65 and older have falls that result in injuries. ​

​Falls happen mostly at home and mainly in the bathroom, which can be a slippery space with hard surfaces. Bathroom design upgrades — from small and inexpensive to big and bold — can make a difference and help prevent falls.​​"

This August 2023 article from AARP focuses on useful bathroom improvements that help to prevent fall.

Mayo Clinic - Simple Tips for Fall Prevention

Fall prevention: Simple tips to prevent falls

Falls put you at risk of serious injury. Prevent falls with these simple fall prevention measures, from reviewing your medications to hazard-proofing your home.

Falls Prevention for Older Adults

Falling is not a normal part of aging. You can prevent falls by doing the right exercises, making your home safer, getting regular health checkups, and more. Learn steps you can take to stay safe.

Check out this important information from the National Council on Aging.

Striking a Balance to Avoid Dangerous Falls

The thing most likely to keep you from enjoying life after 65 is a fall.

Falls are the leading cause of both fatal and nonfatal injuries to older Americans. Every 11 seconds, an older adult goes to an emergency department to treat an injury from a fall, according to the National Council on Aging. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that death rates from falls among adults 65 and older increased more than 30 percent between 2007 and 2016.

So what’s the best way to prevent a fall? Finding the correct balance — with our minds as well as our bodies.

An interesting article from AARP.

Hip Fractures Among Older Adults

One of the most serious fall injuries is a broken hip. It is hard to recover from a hip fracture and afterward many people are not able to live on their own. As the U.S. population gets older, the number of hip fractures is likely to go up.

• Each year over 300,000 older people—those 65 and older—are hospitalized for hip fractures.1
• More than 95% of hip fractures are caused by falling,2 usually by falling sideways.3
• Women experience three-quarters of all hip fractures.1
  • Women fall more often than men.
  • Women more often have osteoporosis, a disease that weakens bones and makes them more likely to break.
• The chances of breaking your hip go up as you get older.

ADHS - Healthy Aging: Fall Prevention

Healthy Aging - Falls Prevention Information and Resources

Falls cause significant burden to older Arizonans, to Arizona, and our healthcare system. Annually, preventable falls are costing lives, causing disability and loss of independence.

Many falls are predictable and preventable. It is possible to assess someone's risk for falls through established risk factors and physiological assessment. Targeting and modifying risk factors in those at high risk for falls has been shown to reduce their risk, injuries and number of subsequent falls. Comprehensive, multifactorial falls prevention has promise of reducing healthcare costs, maintaining independence and avoiding disability.

Activity is an essential component of comprehensive, multifactorial falls prevention as it builds balance, strength, stamina and coordination.

• Preventing Falls: One Step at a Time
• Falls Prevention Flyer - Let’s Talk Fall Prevention!
• Center for Disease Control (CDC)
• National Council on Aging (NCOA)
• Falls Prevention Media Toolkit
• Falls Prevention Awareness Month Proclamation 2016

Prevent Falls at Home

There are several things you can do to reduce your risk, and it starts at home. Reducing clutter and tripping hazards around your home will greatly reduce the risk of a fall. Showers and tubs without slip resistant mats, poorly lit rooms, cords and wires, and unsecured throw rugs can all increase your risk for a fall. It does not have to be expensive to create a safer home. Below is a list of ten things you can buy for less than $20 that will lower your risk for a fall.

• Shower or bathtub mat
• Grab Bars for your shower or tub
• Non-slip bathtub strips
• Velcro strips to secure electrical cords
• Non-slip safety grip pad for rugs
• Motion sensor sight light
• Slip resistant socks
• Non-slip tape (skid tape for stairs)
• Raised toilet seat
• Wheelchair seatbelt

Fall Prevention - Guidelines from the CDC

Falls are a threat to the health of older adults and can reduce their ability to remain independent. However, falls don’t have to be inevitable as you age. You can reduce your chance of falling or help a loved one prevent falls. There are proven ways to reduce and prevent falls, even for older adults. We identify older adults as anyone 65 years and older. CDC uses data and research to help prevent falls and save lives.

Falls—and the injuries and deaths they cause—are increasing, but falls can be prevented.

Keep on Your Feet - Preventing Older Adult Falls

Falls are common and costly, especially among Americans age 65 and older. But falls are preventable and do not have to be an inevitable part of aging.

Every second of every day, an older adult (age 65+) suffers a fall in the U.S.—making falls the leading cause of injury and injury death in this age group. One out of four older adults will fall each year in the United States, making falls a public health concern, particularly among the aging population.

Your Home Checklist for Aging in Place

Start with small projects and anticipate future needs.