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Home safety: a room-by-room checklist
Small changes at home — a grab bar, a night light, one less loose rug — can make a real difference to falls. Use this checklist to walk through the home of an older adult, room by room, and find the easy wins.
Written by Abhiraj Radhakrishnan, PT, MPT · 8-minute read
Does home safety really help?
Yes — especially for people who are already at higher risk. A 2023 Cochrane review of 22 studies with more than 8,400 older adults found that professional home hazard reduction:
- reduced the rate of falls by about 38% in people at higher risk — for example, those who had fallen in the past year, had a recent hospital stay, or needed help with daily activities;
- reduced falls by about 26% overall;
- but did not clearly reduce falls in people who weren’t at higher risk.
In other words: if your parent has already fallen, recently been in hospital, or needs help with everyday tasks, a home safety check is one of the most worthwhile things you can do. It works best alongside balance and strength exercise.
The room-by-room checklist
[PHOTO: grab bar beside a toilet and a non-slip bath mat]
Entrances and outside
- Sturdy handrails on outdoor steps — ideally on both sides
- Bright outdoor lighting, ideally motion-activated
- A clear, even path to the door — fix loose pavers and uneven steps
- A shelf or bench by the door to put down bags while unlocking
Stairs
- Secure handrails on both sides, running the full length of the stairs
- Light switches at the top and bottom
- Edges of steps easy to see — contrasting tape can help
- Nothing left on the stairs — not even “just for a minute”
Living areas and hallways
- Remove loose rugs, or secure them firmly with non-slip backing
- Keep cords and cables away from walking paths
- Clear clutter so there is a wide, open path — enough room for a walker if one is used
- A firm chair with armrests at a comfortable height to stand up from
Kitchen
- Everyday items stored between waist and shoulder height
- No climbing on chairs or step stools to reach high shelves
- Wipe up spills right away
- Good lighting over the counter and stove
Bathroom
- Grab bars by the toilet and in the tub or shower — towel bars are not grab bars and can pull out of the wall
- Non-slip mats or strips inside and outside the tub or shower
- A tub transfer bench or shower chair, and a hand-held shower, if standing is tiring
- A raised toilet seat or toilet safety frame if getting up is hard
- A night light
Bedroom
- A lamp or light switch that can be reached from bed
- A clear path from the bed to the bathroom
- A phone within reach of the bed
- Sit down to get dressed — especially for pants, socks and shoes
Throughout the home
- Well-fitting shoes or slippers with a closed back and non-slip sole
- Watch for pets underfoot
- A way to call for help after a fall — a cell phone carried in a pocket, or a medical alert device
- Keep the walker or cane within reach — and use it every time
Prefer to tick as you go? Use the interactive home safety checklist — it builds a printable to-do list for you.
Night-time trips to the bathroom
Many falls happen at night, when people are drowsy, the house is dark, and they’re in a hurry. Simple steps help:
- Plug-in night lights along the whole route from bed to toilet
- Sit on the edge of the bed for a moment before standing up
- Keep the walker or cane right beside the bed
- Consider a commode or urinal at the bedside if trips are frequent — ask a therapist
Winter in Ontario
- Keep steps, walkways and the driveway cleared, and use salt or sand on icy patches
- Wear winter boots with good tread
- Ice grippers that slip over boots can help outdoors — take them off before walking indoors, where they can be slippery
- Use cane ice tips if you use a cane outdoors
- On icy days, ask for help with errands or put off non-essential trips
Equipment worth considering
| Equipment | How it helps |
|---|---|
| Grab bars | Support for sitting, standing and stepping in and out of the tub or shower |
| Tub transfer bench or shower chair | Lets you sit to wash and get into the tub without stepping over the edge |
| Raised toilet seat or toilet frame | Makes sitting down and standing up easier on the hips and knees |
| Hand-held shower | Lets you shower while seated |
| Second stair handrail | Two rails are steadier than one, especially going down |
| Night lights | Light the way for night-time bathroom trips |
| Medical alert device | A way to call for help if you fall and can’t get up |
Bathroom equipment needs to fit the person and the space. An occupational therapist can recommend the right items and where to put them — grab bars must be properly anchored, ideally by a qualified installer.
Help with the cost
- Federal Home Accessibility Tax Credit: if the person is 65 or older, or eligible for the Disability Tax Credit, renovations that make the home safer or more accessible — such as grab bars, ramps, walk-in showers and stair lifts — may qualify for a non-refundable tax credit, on up to $20,000 of eligible expenses per year. Keep your receipts.
- March of Dimes Home and Vehicle Modification Program: financial help with basic home modifications for Ontario residents with a substantial mobility impairment who qualify financially.
- Ontario tax credits: Ontario has offered seniors’ credits in some years — ask a tax preparer what applies for the current year.
Ontario’s Assistive Devices Program (ADP) covers mobility aids like walkers and wheelchairs, but not home modifications such as ramps or stair lifts.
Getting a professional home assessment
An occupational therapist or physiotherapist can visit the home, watch how the person moves around, and recommend changes and equipment that fit their needs — this kind of tailored assessment is what the research supports.
- Ask your family doctor for a referral.
- Contact Ontario Health atHome at 1-833-515-1234 — anyone can make a referral, including family members, and home care services can include occupational therapy and physiotherapy.
- Private occupational therapists and physiotherapists also offer home safety assessments.
Have a question about home safety?
Send it in — common questions are answered here on the site.
Sources
Clemson L, et al. Environmental interventions for preventing falls in older people living in the community — Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2023
Environmental Interventions for Preventing Falls in Older People — American Family Physician, 2023
Home Accessibility Tax Credit — Canada Revenue Agency
Home and Vehicle Modification Program — March of Dimes Canada
Home care — Ontario Health atHome
Mobility aids — Assistive Devices Program, Government of Ontario
This guide is general information, not a personal assessment. Tax and funding programs change — check current rules with the program or a tax professional.