Fall Prevention: Home Safety Inventory ¹

Linda B. Bobroff and Leigh Ann Martin²

Homes you've lived in most of your life can increase your risk for falls as you age. There are changes you can make to reduce risk of falling and keep your home a safe place for you to live in.

Use this inventory to find possible problem areas in your home. Circle yes or no for each item. Be sure to look at both pages. Skip any items that don't apply to you. If you answer "no" to any of the questions, make the needed change(s) as soon as possible.

Table 1.

Windows and Doors
Are windows and doors easy to open and close?	Yes	No
Are door thresholds low and easy to step over?	Yes	No
Is there space to maneuver while opening and closing the door?	Yes	No
Does the front door have a peephole at the right height for you?	Yes	No

Floor Surfaces
Are all surfaces non-slip?	Yes	No
Are rugs and doormats tacked down?	Yes	No
Are floor level changes well marked?	Yes	No

Steps/Stairways
Do you have handrails on both sides of the stairway?	Yes	No
Are stair treads deep enough for your whole foot?	Yes	No

By reviewing these questions and making needed changes, you will make your home a safer place for yourself and others who live with you. Most falls occur in the home, so taking the time for a home safety inventory is time well spent.

For more information about fall prevention, look at our University of Florida IFAS Extension Web site, http://solutionsforyourlife.ufl.edu, or check with your county Extension office. You can find your local Extension office in the blue pages of the telephone book or online at http://solutionsforyourlife.ufl.edu/map/. Ask your Extension agent if s/he is offering ENAFS educational programs related to fall prevention or other areas of interest to older adults in nutrition, food safety or health.

Footnotes

La versión en español de este document es Prevención de Caidas: Inventario de Segurdiad en el Hogar (FCS2229Span). This document is FCS2229, one of a series of the Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. First published: April 2005. Revised: April 2009.

Linda B. Bobroff, Ph.D., RD, professor, and Leigh Ann Martin, MESS, RN, former assistant-in, Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611.

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension service.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Millie Ferrer-Chancy, Interim Dean.

Fall Prevention: Home Safety Inventory 1

Footnotes

Fall Prevention: Home Safety Inventory ¹