Home Safety Checklist for Caregivers
If you're a carer at home, it's important to take a more critical look at the safety of your environment.
To help keep your home safe, consider the following points.
Living Areas:
- Remove unnecessary furniture (e.g., coffee tables, magazine racks, and floor lamps) and objects (e.g., shoes and toys) to prevent trips and falls
- Get rid of small, slippery rugs
- Make sure stairway handrails are sturdy and stairs are carpeted to prevent slipping
- Keep emergency numbers near all of the phones in the home
Kitchen:
- Install safety knobs and automatic shut-off switches on the oven and stove to help prevent burns or fire
- Set your water heater's temperature to 120 degrees or less to avoid scalding
- Make sure carbon monoxide and smoke detectors are installed and working properly (not just in kitchen, but throughout the home)
Bedroom:
- Remove locks from bedroom and bathroom doors
- Install nightlights in the bedroom, hallways, and bathroom or keep a dim light on during the night
- Make sure all medications are clearly labeled and kept locked up
- Install grab bars that help make it easier to get in and out of the tub and on and off the toilet
Bathroom
- Install grab rails
- Consider a shower seat
- Footrest for the toilet