How To “Fall Proof” Your Home

Clean your eyeglasses frequently

• • Smudges on glasses can disrupt depth perception and obstruct the vision of objects in your path. 

Stay consistent with a yearly vision exam from your optometrist/ophthalmologist

• • Vision changes happen gradually, so even though it may not be apparent to you, an exam can identify if your prescription needs to be updated. 

Remove throw rugs

• • The uneven nature of a rug edge (especially with tassels) is the perfect spot to catch the toe of a sandal or slipper and send you toppling over.

Install nightlights to walk to bathroom at night

• • When the lights are off and its challenging to see, it’s easy to trip over small items, like an electrical cord, a sleeping cat, or even a shoe that wasn’t put away. Having some nightlights to illuminate your pathway can be a big help. 

Wear Gripper Slippers

• • Even though those hospital socks with the sticky bottoms are not the most attractive, they keep your feet warm and safe when you aren’t wearing shoes. We found some comfortable and much more fashionable alternatives!

Apply tape on the edge of stairs 

• • Not all stairs are the same height or depth, and can pose a risky situation. This can be remedied by applying some bright/contrasting colored tape (we even found glow in the dark tape!) at the edge of the step to give some additional feedback.

Install bathroom grab bars (screw in variation, suction cup variation) 

• • Bathrooms are the most common spaces for falls. They can often be very narrow, showers are always wet/slippery, and you might have high tub walls to step over. Well placed grab bars can really improve the safety of your bathroom. Both permanent or temporary options are available!

Lay down grip mats in shower/tub

• • Soapy water under your feet creates an unstable surface, but grip mats can reduce that.

Set up toilet hand rails

• • Toilet seats are much lower than standard chairs, and can be tough to negotiate. These railings offer a point of leverage to make those transfers easier.