Home safety checklist (printable)

Bathroom — start here

• Grab bars, anchored into studs or proper backing, at the toilet and in the tub or shower — suction bars are not weight-bearing
• A shower chair or tub transfer bench, so bathing does not mean standing on a wet surface
• A raised toilet seat or safety frame if getting up is a struggle
• A handheld shower head, so washing can be done seated
• Non-slip mats inside and outside the tub

Bedroom & nighttime

• The bed at a height that can be got in and out of safely
• A light reachable from the bed, and a lit route to the bathroom — night lights or motion sensors
• A phone reachable from the bed

Floors & walking routes

• Throw rugs removed — all of them; tape does not fix them
• Cords, boxes and pet bowls out of the walking routes
• Raised thresholds and uneven flooring identified and dealt with

Stairs

• A solid rail on both sides, running the full length
• Lighting at the top and bottom, with switches at both
• Nothing stored on the steps

The person

• Shoes indoors — not backless slippers, not socks
• The walking aid used indoors as well as out, set to the right height, with unworn tips
• Medications reviewed by a pharmacist if there is dizziness — the review is free
• Vision checked, including whether varifocals are contributing on the stairs

General information to help you spot common hazards — not a clinical evaluation or a professional safety assessment, and a fully ticked list does not mean a home is safe for a particular person. If someone has already fallen, tell their clinician.