Is Your Home Safe? Alert1's Fall Prevention Checklist

Updated 7/12/17 10:14am | Falls are the leading cause of fatal injuries for seniors according to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. In America, one fourth of seniors aged 65 or older fall each year.

The risk of falling only increases as we age. That's why we created a fall prevention checklist to keep our members safe.

Fall prevention and keeping the elderly safe are Alert1’s top concerns. Understanding how to prevent falls will help maintain your safety and independence. After going through our checklist, you will be a fall prevention expert in no time.

Lounging around the house, preparing meals, and doing our daily chores is where we spend much of our time.

The great indoors is the first and most important place to make safe. Prevent falls in any room of your home with a few simple modifications. 

• Secure your handrails. Double-check all the handrails in your home and make sure they are securely mounted. If any are broken or loose, find a handyman to fix them immediately.
• Fix all uneven floorboards and loose rugs. After securing your handrails, your handyman can even your floorboards too. Secure loose rugs to the floor with tacks, non-skid pads or double sided tape.
• Install extra lights. Place nightlights in hallways, bedrooms, and bathrooms. Nightlights will reduce the risk of falling by helping you avoid any hard-to-see obstacles.
• Remove obstacles in pathways. Check rooms and hallways for potential tripping hazards. Move boxes, newspapers, electrical and phone cords, furniture, and plants out of pathways.
• Store items in easy-to-reach places. Put bed covering, clothing, and other household items in easy-to-reach areas below waist-level. Items stored in high spaces require climbing up on a stool, making it  easier to lose your balance. 
• Buy a medical alert bracelet. Alert1’s in-home medical alert pendants  are the safest and quickest way to get help. During an emergency, push your help button and you will receive immediate assistance.

Stairways are dangerous areas of any home. A fall in the stairway can result in serious, even fatal, consequences. Don’t take a tumble down the stairs. Take the steps necessary to prevent the falls in the first place.

• Double-up on your stairway railings. Handrails on both sides provides extra support and is the safest way to go up and down stairs. Add a second if you only have one.
• Install extra light switches. If you have stairways, put light switches at the top and bottom of the stairs. Going up or down stairs is dangerous enough on its own, and in the dark is even worse. Don’t put yourself in that situation.
• Make steps slip-proof. To reduce risk of slipping on stairs, creating a non-slippery surface is crucial. Go to your local hardware store and ask for anti-slip tape. The strips should be placed on the edge of each step.

Kitchens and bathrooms are common places for falls to occur. Wet floors and hard-to-reach supplies make these rooms especially dangerous.

Prevent slips and falls in your bathroom and kitchen with these tips.

• Reorganize your kitchen.  All dishes or other kitchen supplies need to be easily accessible. Utensils used often should be easy to access and not require a stool.
• Get a stool with a top bar. Even after reorganizing, using a stool is sometimes unavoidable. If you have to use a stool in kitchen after reorganizing, make sure it has a top bar to hold onto.
• Remove soap build up in bathtub. Soap builds up in the shower and bathtub over time and creates a slipping hazard. Prevent falls by cleaning the soap build up regularly.
• Place non-slip strips in your bath or shower. Smooth surfaces and water create a surface that is extremely easy to slip on. Non-slip strips will help your feet to grip the floor better and prevent falls.
• Mount grab bars in your bathroom. Have bars mounted securely to the wall by the toilet, as well as inside and outside the bath and shower. Grab for extra support when moving around the bathroom.

Checking inside your home for fall hazards was the first step, now you are ready for the outdoors.

With a few simple checks, ensure your yard is ready for you to enjoy retirement without any mishaps.

• Repair holes and uneven pavement. Gofer holes and cracks in the pavement are tripping hazards. Keep an eye out for them when walking outside and fix them immediately when spotted.
• Wear your help button at all times. Alert1’s home fall detection has a 400 foot range. When in the backyard doing chores, make sure you are wearing your medical alert device. If you don’t have one, check out our in-home emergency medical alerts.
• Arrange to have clear walkways. Remove leaves, snow, and ice from your stairs and walkways before use. During the winter months, use salt or sand to clear the path or ask your neighbor’s son for assistance.
• Check outside lighting weekly. Lights outside are damaged more easily because of bad weather and animals. Keep a back stock of light bulbs available so you are never stuck outside without light.

Your home should be a place of comfort and warmth, not worry and danger.  Now that you know how to prevent falls, you can rest assured in your home.

Don’t let falls bring you down, stay safe and check for fall hazards on a regular basis.

Thinking about traveling? Stay safe while on-the-go with our mobile fall detection alert. Prevent falls in not only your home, but wherever your travels take you.

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• What To Do After a Fall
• 16 Home Safety Tips for Independent Seniors
• Why Should Independent Seniors Consider Medical Alert Devices?