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Bathroom and General Home Safety Checklist

General Home Safety Checklist For Seniors

By Jason Royse, Northwest Health and Safety Inc.

It is important to create a safe environment at any age. Your independence now and in the future relies on it. While financial planning is important as you enter retirement and the golden years, all the saving in the world is all for not, if you become seriously injured in your home. There are some steps you can take to help create a safer environment and take safeguards to minimize these risks.  It is important that get your family involved in this process and access community resources available to you. Northwest Health and Safety Inc. can assist you in accessing these resources. Use the checklist below to access your home and see what steps you can take to help create a long-term safe environment for you and your loved one. These are just a small sampling of the steps that can be taken to provide you with the safest environment possible.

General Household Recommendations

• Keep a clean environment and avoid clutter, obstacles and narrow walkways. Simplify!
• Avoid furniture with wheels, especially chairs.
• Provide plenty of lighting throughout the home, use night lights throughout the home, especially in hallways and storage areas.
• Avoid rugs throughout the home. Rugs are a major cause of trips in the home
• Avoid waxing floors. Waxed floors look nice, but make a floor even more slippery.
• Avoid using extension cords and multi-plug adapters. Don’t use any electrical connections that appear to be damaged or unsafe. If necessary, use UL approved surge protectors with built-in GFCI’s. Make sure that cords do not cross walkways.
• Store heavy items no higher than mid-chest height and no lower than mid thigh heights.
• Make sure adequate smoke detectors are placed in all key areas throughout home. ( Kitchen, Bedrooms, Garage, Hallways, Living Room areas at minimum.) These should be tested monthly and batteries replaced at regular intervals! Consult your local fire department for more information.
• Install appropriate ABC fire extinguishersin the Kitchen and Garage at a minimum. Inspect at regular intervals.
• Place phones throughout the home.
• Place important phone numbers, medical and other vital information near the phone and key places throughout the home. Give this information to family and friends also.
• Consider emergency call pendants or buttons to alert Emergency Medical Services.

Outdoor Safety and Security

• Provide adequate lighting in walkways and driveway areas.

• Motion and Security light around the exterior of the home are good deterrents to would be prowlers.

• Display address on the exterior of the home in large well lit numbers.

• Security yard signs and stickers are an effective deterrent. Even if you don’t have a security system.

• Avoid trees and shrubs around the near exterior of the home.

• Install security screens and doors for extra security.

• Talk to your neighbors and provide them with emergency numbers in case of suspicious activity.

Bathroom Safety

• Install grab bars in key areas.
• Use anti-slip stickers in tub or shower floor.
• Turn hot water heater down to < 105 degrees to prevent accidental scalding.
• If balance is an issue, consider a shower chair or bath bench.           
• Provide plenty of lighting and night lighting.
• Avoid loose rugs that can cause a tripping hazard.
• Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI) should be installed to prevent electrocution.
• Make sure hot and cold faucet knobs are well labeled.

Kitchen Safety

• Keep cleaning chemicals in original containers. Chemical should be locked in a safe area away from food products and eating utensils.

• Make sure oven and stove knobs are well marked. There are various safety features on new ovens and stoves.

• Install smoke alarms and/or gas detectors and test regularly.

• Install type ABC Fire Extinguisher and test regularly.

• Avoid placing heavy items in high hard to reach places.

• Properly store all food products and discard expired or spoiled food products.          

Medication Safety

• Regularly inspect medications and check expiration dates. Discard all expired imedications immediately and arrange for a refill if needed.

• Keep medications in properly labeled bottles.

• Keep all medications out of reach of children and store according to label. (some medications require refrigeration.

•  Discuss and review all medications with your doctor (prescription and non-prescription) at each visit.

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