Home Assessment Checklist for Hazards That Increase Risk of Falling
Location | Hazard | Correction | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
General household | |||
Lighting | Too dim | Provide ample lighting in all areas | Improves visual acuity and contrast sensitivity |
Too direct, creating glare | Reduce glare with evenly distributed light, indirect lighting, or translucent shades | Improves visual acuity and contrast sensitivity | |
Inaccessible light switches | Provide night-lights or touch-activated lights Install switches that are immediately accessible when entering a room or motion sensors that activate lights | Reduces risk of tripping over or bumping into unseen obstacles in a dark room | |
Carpets, rugs, linoleum | Torn | Repair or replace torn carpet | Reduces risk of tripping and slipping, especially for people who have difficulty stepping |
Slippery | Provide rugs with nonskid backs | Reduces risk of slipping | |
Curled edges | Tack or tape down rugs or linoleum to prevent curling Replace rugs or linoleum | Reduces risk of tripping | |
Chairs, tables, other furnishings | Unstable | Provide furniture stable enough to support the weight of a person leaning on table edges or chair arms and backs Do not use chairs that have wheels or that swivel Repair legs that are loose | Increases support for people with impaired balance and helps with transferring |
Chairs without armrests | Provide chairs with armrests that extend forward enough to provide leverage when getting up or sitting down | Helps people with proximal muscle weakness and helps with transferring | |
Obstructed pathways | Arrange furnishings so that pathways are not obstructed Remove clutter from hallways | Reduces risk of tripping over or bumping into obstacles, making movement in the home easier and safer, especially for people with impaired peripheral vision | |
Wires and cords | Exposed in pathways | Tack cords above the floor or run beneath floor coverings | Reduces risk of tripping |
Kitchen | |||
Cabinets, shelves | Too high | Keep frequently used items at waist level Install shelves and cupboards at an accessible height | Reduces risk of falls due to frequent reaching or climbing on ladders or chairs |
Floors | Wet or waxed | Place a rubber mat on the floor in the sink area Wear rubber-soled shoes in the kitchen Use nonslip wax | Reduces risk of slipping, especially for people with a gait disorder |
Bathroom | |||
Bathtub or shower | Slippery tub or shower floor | Install skid-resistant strips or rubber mat Use shower shoes or a bath seat (a bath seat enables people with impaired balance to sit while showering) | Reduces risk of sliding on a wet tub or shower floor |
Need to use the side of the bathtub for support or transfer | Install grab bars in shower Install a portable grab bar on the side of the tub Take grab bar on trips | Helps with transferring | |
Towel racks, sink tops | Unstable for use as support while transferring from the toilet, tub, or shower | Fasten grab rails to wall studs | Helps with transferring |
Toilet seat | Too low | Use elevated toilet seat | Helps with transferring to and from the toilet |
Doors | Locks | Remove locks from bathroom doors or use locks that can be opened from both sides of the door | Enables other people to enter if a person falls |
Stairways | |||
Height | Height of steps too high | Correct step height to < 15 cm | Reduces risk of tripping, especially for people who have difficulty stepping |
Handrails | Missing | Install and anchor rails well on both sides of the stairway Use cylindrical rails placed 2.5–5 cm from the wall | Provides support and enables people to grasp the rail with either hand |
Too short and end of rail unclear | Extend beyond the top and bottom step and turn ends inward | Signals that the top or bottom step has been reached | |
Configuration | Too steep or too long | Install landings on stairways when feasible or select a residence with a stairway landing | Provides a rest stop, especially for people with heart or pulmonary disorders |
Condition | Slippery | Place nonskid treads securely on all steps | Prevents slipping |
Lighting | Inadequate | Install adequate lighting at both the top and bottom of stairway Provide night-lights or bright-colored adhesive strips to clearly mark steps | Outlines location of steps, especially for people with impaired vision or perception |