Making the house safer: the changes that matter most

This weekend

• Take up throw rugs, or tape them down. This is the single most common cause of falls.
• Night lights from bed to bathroom. Motion-sensor ones cost little.
• Clear paths: cords, magazines, the ottoman that is always in the way.
• A non-slip mat in the tub and a handheld shower head.
• Put the phone and a list of numbers where they sit most.

This month

• Grab bars in the shower and beside the toilet, screwed into studs, not suction cups.
• A raised toilet seat or a shower chair if standing is hard.
• Railings on both sides of any stairs.
• Move daily items to waist height so nobody climbs a stool.
• A medical alert pendant or watch if they are alone for stretches.

Bigger

A first-floor bedroom and bathroom, a ramp, a walk-in shower. Some of this is covered by Medicaid waiver programs or veterans benefits. An occupational therapist, ordered by a doctor and often covered by Medicare after a hospital stay, can walk the house and write the list for you.

Bring it up at the next doctor visit

The CDC's falls program for clinicians, called STEADI, asks doctors to look at three things: medicines that cause dizziness or sleepiness, vision, and strength and balance. You can ask for the same check. Useful questions:

Then the plan

In CarePair, the Homeward plan holds the steps with dates, and the care team list holds who to call. An advisor can arrange the assessment.