About half of all falls happen at home. To make your home safer:

• Remove things you can trip over (like papers, books, clothes, and shoes) from stairs and places where you walk.
• Remove unnecessary furniture or other items. We know this isn’t easy and can sometimes seem like an overwhelming task. If you need help there are great companies in the San Diego / Riverside area that will help you keep the items you want/need and to remove the items that you don’t. If you are helping an elderly parent/friend/relative sometimes this is the hardest thing to do. Allowing a 3rd party to assist you will remove the tension and let you get back to what you really need to be doing, taking care of a loved one.
• Remove small throw rugs or use double-sided tape to keep the rugs from slipping.
• Keep items you use often in cabinets you can reach easily without using a step stool.
• Have grab bars put in next to your toilet and in the tub or shower.
• Use non-slip mats in the bathtub and on shower floors.
• Reduce the step-over height to get into and out of your shower. There are easy and affordable options to have this done. Some that even preserve the bathing (as opposed to showering) function of your bathtub.
• Make your shower a low-threshold or no-threshold shower. Again, there are low cost, easy options for having this done. Most shower remodels can be completed within 2 – 3 days.
• Improve the lighting in your home. As you get older, you need brighter lights to see well.
• Hang light-weight curtains or shades to reduce glare.
• Have handrails and lights put in on all staircases.
• Wear shoes both inside and outside the house.
• Avoid going barefoot or wearing slippers.
• Have threshold ramps installed so you don’t catch your foot on the sliding door trim.

Next time we will talk about the “right time” to have the grab bars and other safety items installed.