Home Safety Checklist for Seniors

For many older Americans, remaining at home as long as possible is the gold standard for how they want to live. While it's not always possible for older adults to stay at home safely, for others, aging in place is entirely possible but may require a few changes to the home to keep them safer longer.

There are several safety concerns seniors must address if they want to remain in their homes as they age, and the biggest among them are:

-- Falls.

-- Food and nutrition.

-- Decline of communication skills and cognitive function.

-- Loss of mobility.

Falls

A risk of falls is one of the primary safety concerns for seniors. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that falls are the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries among adults aged 65 years and older. Falls can happen for any number of reasons, and "safety hazards are often hidden in basic household items such as furniture, rugs or pets," says Jen Brandon, a physical therapist and rehab manager with the Hoag Orthopedic Institute in Irvine, California. "Everyday activities like answering the phone or walking to the bathroom have an increased fall risk," especially when you're rushing.

In addition to physical objects causing a risk of tripping and falling, "many medications that seniors take have side effects and can make one dizzy when first getting out of bed in the morning," Brandon says. Plus, changes in vision, balance and posture can also make a senior less steady on their feet.

[See: 14 Ways to Protect Seniors From Falls.]

Food and Nutrition

" Food and nutrition are two of the most basic and important safety concerns," says Courtney Petersen, senior brand manager with A Place for Mom, a senior referral service based in Seattle. "Depending on physical and cognitive issues, it can be challenging for some seniors to adequately cook for themselves. Operating kitchen appliances is often a barrier to seniors maintaining a healthy diet."

As seniors lose dexterity and mobility or cognitive function, formerly easy tasks like turning on the stove, opening jars and cans or operating a microwave can become more challenging -- as can getting to a grocery store. Signs of this include a refrigerator or cabinets full of outdated or spoiled food and significant weight loss.

Decline of Communication Skills and Cognitive Function

Tasks associated with maintaining the home itself can also become challenging as age advances. "Things like paying bills on time, keeping appointments and managing medications can become overwhelming if the senior is experiencing cognitive problems." If a senior misses a dose of medication or mixes up prescriptions, the effects of those changes in medication levels can compound feelings of confusion, Petersen says.

[See: 11 Things Seniors Should Look for in a Health Provider.]

Loss of Mobility

"Decreasing mobility can also create a different set of safety concerns," Petersen says. "The inability to leave the house often leads to social isolation, as well as difficulty in doing routine tasks like grocery shopping and home maintenance." In addition, "if a senior is not able to move around their house with minimal effort, daily tasks like cleaning become onerous for them. This lack of mobility leads to piles of laundry and other household clutter that become their own safety issues," such as trip or fire hazards.

Home Safety Checklist

Despite these concerns, Brandon says that often, it only takes a few "simple changes to make the home a safe environment." Use these tips to help make aging in place a little safer:

-- Create a support system. "One of the most important things that seniors staying at home can do is make sure that they have regular communication with family, friends or someone who can help them with the usual work of maintaining their health and their home," Petersen says. Brandon agrees, adding that "it's important for seniors to have a strong social network of friends, family or neighbors -- daily contact with someone creates a support system in times of need." Learning to rely on others can be an emotionally difficult undertaking, especially if a senior is accustomed to doing things on their own or being very independent. "Often, older adults don't want to ask for assistance as they 'don't want to be burden,'" Brandon says. "But they should not hesitate to ask for support or help when needed. Look for local agencies or senior centers that offer a variety of services such as transportation, repairs and errands." You might be surprised at the range of assistance available out there -- everything from help with meals to assistance decorating for the holidays.

-- Get help with the house. Hiring home maintenance personnel can help keep up the property and handle the bigger, more physical tasks of lawn care, cleaning and other routine maintenance tasks.

-- Set up regular grocery delivery. Many grocery stores now offer delivery, which can be an enormous help in bringing fresh, healthy foods to people who aren't mobile enough to get to the store regularly. "Many of these services allow you to set up regular, automatic deliveries with the same order," Petersen says, which may help seniors "who struggle to remember to go shopping."

-- Add an emergency response system. You've seen the ads on TV for the wearable emergency response services that many seniors rely on to live safely at home. In the event of a fall or other emergency, being able to simply press a button on a necklace or wrist band to summon help be a literal life-saver.

-- Make the bathroom safer. "The bathroom is often a place where falls and other accidents happen," but installing grab bars near the toilet, bathtub or shower can help ease balance issues when sitting or standing. "Shower benches, walk-in showers and non-skid mats also make the bathroom a much safer place," Petersen says.

-- Remove trip and fall hazards. Throw rugs, clutter on the floor and in walkways and items on the stairs can all be dangerous trip hazards. If you want to keep the rugs, make sure the edges are well secured and move any loose electrical cords out of any paths of travel.

[See: 14 Ways Caregivers Can Care for Themselves.]

-- Brighten up your home. "It's important to have good lighting throughout the home and a nightlight near the bedside and in the bathroom to avoid trip hazards," Brandon notes. The better lit your space is, the easier it will be to move around and keep thing tidy.

-- Stay active. "Daily activity or exercise keeps your muscles strong to maintain balance and prevent falls," Brandon says. "In addition, group classes not only provide activity and social interaction, they keep the mind healthy, too."

-- Make other small renovations. "Little changes can go a long way in making a house more senior-friendly," Petersen says. "Changing round door and faucet knobs to lever handles, for instance, makes turning them much easier." This can be an enormous help for anyone with arthritis in the hands who may have a lot of difficulty gripping and maneuvering round objects. Adding anti-slip mats or treads to stairs and a colorful strip of tape or line of paint at the edges of steps can make it easier to see were the step ends and get your footing on stairs.

-- Add technology. "Smart homes that have internet-connected appliances and interactive, voice-operated speakers like Alexa or Amazon Echo might also help technology-savvy seniors with household tasks," Petersen says. These apps allow seniors to control indoor and outdoor lighting from a phone, set the thermostat to a regular on-and-off schedule and make phone calls from anywhere in the house, which can be an enormous help in the event of a fall or other emergency.

-- Visit the doctor. "A history of falls or frequent 'near-falls' is often a sign of balance issues," and your doctor may be able to help you mitigate those problems, Brandon says. Your primary care provider may also refer you to a gerontologist or a physical therapist "for a balance assessment program," she says.

-- Stay connected. "Seniors should realize that staying safe at home is in many ways about staying connected with the outside world," Petersen says. "Most of the safety issues that arise with seniors in their homes stem from isolation, whether that be nutrition concerns, home maintenance or mental health issues. Getting help with what can seem to be routine tasks can make the home safer and their lives more enjoyable."