How to Keep Your Whole Home Safe

Most people spend a lot of their time relaxing and socialising in their living room. Living rooms should be a safe and relaxing environment for you and anyone who enters your home.

• Have a chair or sofa you find easy to sit down in and get up from.
• Keep it tidy and clutter-free.
• Store items you use often within reaching distance so you reduce the need to bend over and reach up high.
• Have easy access to plug sockets, curtains and cupboards.
• Make sure it is well lit.
• Don’t have any wires running across the floor.
• Remove any loose carpet or rugs.

• Very soft chairs and sofas or sitting on top of a soft cushion can make it harder to stand up.
• If you have alarm pull cords, make sure they are long enough to reach the floor so you can pull them if you fall.
• If you have a pet such as a cat or a small dog, they may get under your feet sometimes which could cause you to trip.
• A low-lying coffee table may be difficult to see whilst walking around.

Kitchens often have hard floors and furniture which makes you more likely to get injured from a fall. Spillages are also common in kitchens so it’s always good to stay aware when moving around the room.

• Organise your cupboards and worktops so items you use often are within easy reach.
• Keep items that require water such as a kettle and a coffee machine near the sink to avoid carrying heavy objects around the kitchen.
• Have steady and sturdy chairs so you can sit down and stand up with ease. Having a chair in your kitchen also helps if you get tired often.
• If a spillage occurs, clean it up immediately.
• Use a water-absorbent, non-slip mat in front of your sink.
• Make sure it is well lit.

• Walking around a kitchen floor in socks can be slippery. Wearing shoes, sturdy gripped slippers or socks with grips on hard floors are safer.
• A kitchen trolley and walking frame can help you transport your shopping into your kitchen.
• Freshly cleaned floors can be slippery. Let floors dry before walking across them.

It is important for your bedroom to be safe so you can relax and sleep easy.

• Have a bed you can get in and out of safely.
• Install handrails if you struggle with getting in and out of bed.
• Organise your room so items you use on a daily basis are easy to access.
• Remove any loose carpets or rugs.
• Keep tidy with no obstacles on the floor.

• Having a bedside table means you can place glasses right next to your bed, so if you get up in the night you can easily grab your glasses.
• Having a lamp next to your bed means you can light up your room when getting out of bed if your main light switch is far away.
• Electric adjustable beds can help you if you struggle with getting in and out of bed.

You are most likely to fall in the bathroom out of any room in the house. Bathroom floors are often hard and falling on them can cause serious injury, that’s why it’s important to have measures in place so your risk of falling is reduced.

• Use non-slip mats around your bath, shower, toilet and sink.
• Install grab rails around the bath and shower.
• Use a toilet frame if you struggle with sitting down and standing up.
• Clean up any spillages immediately.
• Shelves in the shower to hold your shampoo and bath products mean you don’t have to bend over.

• A large shower/walk-in shower with a shower chair is good for people who struggle to stand for a long period of time.
• Make sure your grab rails are installed on your walls securely and can take your weight.
• If your shower is big enough you can use your walking frame for stability in it.
• If you are prone to becoming lightheaded or dizzy, hot showers, hot baths and hot humid rooms can make this symptom worse.

Falling near or on stairs can be very dangerous and result in serious injury. If you are walking up or downstairs you need to make sure you feel stable, if you don’t feel comfortable climbing stairs, you can get aids such as a stairlift.

• Keep them well lit whilst moving around, avoid lighting that casts shadows which will lead to visual confusion.
• Remove any objects in your pathway.
• Make sure your carpet is fully secure and not loose at the edges.
• Install sturdy handrails and bannisters.
• Install a stairlift if needed.

• Placing night lights along your hallway will light your pathway to the bathroom.
• Your bannisters should be strong enough to take your weight.
• Hurrying or rushing down steps will increase your risk of falling.
• Wearing socks can make steps slippery, shoes provide better grip.

Men are more prone to falling outside whilst women are more prone to falling in the house.

• Install bright outdoor lighting.
• In icy weather salt and grit your pathways.
• Install bannisters along your outdoor steps.
• Keep pathways clear and obstacle-free.

• When outside wear sturdy shoes with a strong grip.
• Be aware of the weather before you go outside.

To conduct a safety check around your house, grab a paper and pen then walk from room to room writing down changes you are able to do yourself, and changes that you need assistance with. You can do this on your own or with someone else. Having someone else with you can help you notice the things you might overlook.