Home safety

The home is the most common place for older adults to fall.

There are a number of simple and inexpensive changes you can make to your home to reduce the risk of falling.

Top eight things you can do:

• Clear clutter from walkways and stairs
• Install handrails on both sides of stairs
• Keep walkways, steps and handrails in good repair
• Remove carpets or rugs that present a tripping hazard
• Use only non-slip rugs on the kitchen and bathroom floor, and non-skid mats, decals or abrasive strips in the bathtub and shower
• Install nightlights in the bedroom, bathroom and hallways
• Modify your daily activities so that you can reduce the risks of falling in your home

Watch the videos below to learn more about home safety:

Winter health guide: Three exercises for fall prevention

• Fraser Health's Your Guide to Independent Living Booklet
  Information on how to prevent falls and reduce injuries.
• Falls prevention brochure
  Information on four things you can do to prevent falls.
• FindingBalance BC: Falls and Injury Prevention Coalition
  Resources for older adults, including exercises and home safety for reducing fall risk.
• HealthLink BC: Seniors' falls can be prevented
  Prevention tips to help seniors avoid falling.
• BC Injury and Prevention Unit
  Injury prevention resources supporting the integration of prevention practice, especially fall prevention into the daily lives of British Columbians.
• Parachute
  Builds awareness and understanding of the issue of injury, to keep Canadians safe at home, on the road, at work, and at play.
• Health Canada: Aging and seniors publications
  The publications of the Division of Aging and Seniors are a great source of reliable information about aging in Canada.