3 Ways To Make Your Home More Fall-Proof

28 October 2016

Jaime Allen

If you want to live as independently as possible as you age, you want to make sure your home is as safe as possible to prevent falling and other accidents. Here are 3 ways you can make your home more fall-proof so you can remain at home with confidence as your body becomes older.

Install a stair lift

If you have a 2-story home where you need access to the upper floors or a single story home with a basement and you want to remain able to get to all the levels of your house with ease, consider getting a stair lift installed. This piece of medical equipment, often covered by insurance, is attached either to the wall by your staircase or the railing itself and allows you to go up and down the stairs while sitting in a comfortable chair. The chair comes with control options for safe operation and stopping.

Consider a walk-in shower

The bathroom is the most dangerous room in the home for the young and elderly alike, and you don't want to risk slipping and falling while getting in and out of your shower. Installing bars along either side of your toilet and just outside your shower work to help give you balance. You can make bathing and showering safer by having a walk-in shower put in your bathroom to replace your tub so you don't have to step over a basin to get in and out. This can reduce your falling risk and make this area much safer to be in.

Avoid rugs and 'busy' furnishings

Perhaps the cheapest and easiest way to reduce falling risks in the home is by making sure that you don't have excess items, such as your vacuum cleaner, baskets, or small tables, taking over living space that you would normally walk in. Rugs can curl and fold, creating a tripping hazard that can make your home unsafe, so limit rugs in high traffic areas or tack them down to keep them from moving. Keep furniture widely spaced in your living and family room so you can get by without squeezing through, which can greatly reduce falling risks as well.

If you are going to have a stair lift installed in your home, talk to a representative to see what types of alterations you need to do to your stairwell to allow for the addition of the chair. By doing simple home renovations to keep you safe as you age, you can feel more comfortable living in your home even as your body begins to require more care.

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