Home Safety Checklist for Older Adults

Last year, more than 1 million people 65 years and older were treated in hospital emergency rooms for injuries associated with accidents at home. Since most of these episodes resulted from a lack of maintenance, walk through your house and use the following checklist to spot possible safety hazards. If you notice a potential problem, arrange for it to be fixed immediately to prevent accident or injury.

Kitchen: Make sure all of your appliances carry an Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. (UL) seal, which means the item was tested and found safe to use. Check electrical cords for fraying or cracking; step stools for splitting or cracking.

Living room: Check rugs and runners, electrical cords, lamps, and other lighting.

Bathroom: Make sure small appliances are marked with a UL seal.

Basement/garage/workshop: Make sure all power tools bear the UL mark. Check fuse and breaker boxes for possible malfunction and shock and fire hazards. Inspect extension cords and cords on tools and lawn and garden supplies.

Source: Underwriters Laboratories, Inc.