Tara Ballman, executive director of the National Aging in Place Council, says a free look around your own home can keep an older adult from taking a fall that changes everything.
Ballman named two areas where little effort pays off. The first is trip hazards. "You probably don't remember where your throw rugs are, how long they've been there, and it might be coming up on the sides," she said. Electrical cords running to a lamp, shoes piled by the front door and clutter from pets or robot vacuums count too.
Lighting is the second. Eyes change with age, so some rooms may need more light. Too much brightness can create glare, which is dangerous as well.
For caregivers who live far away, she said the warning signs are small and easy to miss until you visit. Is your loved one sleeping in the bed, or on a sofa or chair in the living room? Can they use their shower, or do they sponge bathe at the sink?
Ballman also pointed to "age tech," which she described as technology that helps people stay in their homes longer and more safely. She said it does not cost much. A door sensor can show whether a door opened three or four times for someone who lets the dogs out each day. A countertop system can bring you your medicine daily, so you never wonder if you took it.
Common questions
What are the easiest ways to make a home safer for an older adult?
- Start with trip hazards and lighting, the two areas where Tara Ballman of the National Aging in Place Council says little effort pays off. Check throw rugs, lamp cords, shoes by the front door, and clutter from pets or robot vacuums. Then see whether any rooms need more light.
What household items can cause an older adult to trip?
- Throw rugs, electrical cords, shoes piled by the door, and clutter can all trip an older adult. Ballman says people often don't remember where their rugs are or how long they've been down, and the sides may be coming up. Clutter from pets or robot vacuums counts too.
Why does lighting matter for older adults at home?
- Lighting matters because eyes change with age, so some rooms may need more light. But too much brightness can create glare, which is dangerous as well. Ballman names lighting as one of two low-effort areas to check at home, so look at both too little and too much.
