Room-by-Room Guide to Senior Home Safety

Maintaining independence is important to all adults, but living alone as a senior can become dangerous. Of particular concern is the fact that there's no one around to help you in a medical emergency like a fall.

Before you think, "That'll never happen to me," consider that nearly 29% of Americans 65+ fall each year. That means over 15 million older adults have fallen in the last 12 months.^1,2 And most of them aren't falling while doing dangerous stunts—43% to 60% of falls happen at home during a daily routine.^3,4,10 

This guide offers fall-prevention solutions like the best medical alert systems and top safety devices for seniors. We'll also cover senior safety tips for senior smart home automation, chronic health conditions, medication side effects, burglaries, and online scams.

Take a look at other top senior safety devices to equip yourself or family members with the best technology out there.

Most at-home falls (around 33%) take place in the bedroom.¹⁰ Let's start our room-by-room evaluation there.

Mobility issues are the most common disability among people over age 65. In fact, about ten million older people in the US struggle with mobility issues.⁷ Seniors who have a difficult time getting around need to plan ahead for a fire evacuation, since the usual protocol of "move quickly and stay low" may be a tall order. Using fire escape ladders is also out of the question for many older adults. 

• There are also some home renovations you can undertake to make your bedroom as fireproof as possible:
  • Install a sprinkler system.
  • Install a fire door.
  • Use mineral wool insulation inside your walls, between floor joists, and in the attic. 
  • Paint the walls with flame-retardant primer and paint. 

Some home burglars use a "smash and grab" technique, which involves breaking a window or door and swiping whatever's in reach before fleeing the scene.

To discourage this kind of burglary, make sure you don't keep jewelry, medication, guns, electronics, or other valuable items sitting out in the open near your bedroom windows. Anything that's too important to lose should be locked up in a home safe. Don't forget to use a gun safe too. 

We'll be brief here because we've already created a separate guide to bathroom safety for seniors. 

Line the bottom of the tub with a bathmat to reduce the chances of slipping and falling. Dry yourself off while standing in the tub so you don't splash too much water out onto the bathroom floor. Then step out onto a second non-slip bathmat. This one should be highly absorbant to further reduce the amount of moisture tracked around the bathroom floor.

If you take hot showers and don't have adequate ventilation, the steam can eventually settle on the floors and walls of your bathroom. These slick surfaces increase the risk of slipping, so consider installing a bathroom fan or taking slightly cooler showers. 

While fire-related deaths in older adults can be traced back to smoking,¹⁶ fire-related injuries among people 65+ are caused by kitchen fires.¹⁷ Plus, the kitchen is hazardous to people of all ages because of hot surfaces, sharp objects, heavy appliances, and potentially slick floors.

Here are some ways to ensure senior safety in the kitchen.

About 49% of all house fires start in the kitchen, based on research by the National Fire Protection Association.²⁵ Stop a small fire before it becomes a huge blaze by keeping a fire extinguisher on hand, and knowing how to use it.

Read about the best fire extinguishers in our buyer's guide so you can bring the best one home. Pay particular attention to the canister's weight when choosing an extinguisher for a senior citizen. 

There's no need to put yourself at risk of a fall or wrenched muscle by standing on your tip-toes to try to grab a heavy can. Use a step-stool instead, but get one with a handle and a non-slip surface so you have extra stability when stepping on and off.

If you can afford a little renovation, consider these pull-down shelves that install inside your existing cabinets. You can also get pull-out shelves for lower cabinets to reduce the need to awkwardly bend and reach for supplies.

Because we've done it nearly every day for years without anything catastrophic happening, it's easy to take for granted that cooking can be pretty dangerous. It doesn't hurt to stay mindful and avoid distractions so you can cook safely.

• Roll up long sleeves and tie back long hair to avoid catching them on fire.
• Double-check that you've turned on the correct burner—any little crumbs in the catch pan will ignite if there's no pot or skillet to absorb the heat.
• Place a wooden spoon across the top of boiling water to prevent it from boiling over.
• Instead of draining a pot of boiling water by lifting it and pouring it into a strainer, use a stock pot with a strainer basket insert. 
• Use a food processor if your coordination or eyesight makes it difficult to safely use a knife.

Older adults don't have too many unique garage safety concerns.

Just like younger folks, it's important for seniors to be mindful about hazardous chemicals, slick areas from car-related fluid leaks, the extreme danger of running a car or gas-powered generator in a closed garage, and the potential for thieves to try to enter your home through the garage, or steal valuables stored in your shed. 

See garage safety tips in our guide to a safer home for all ages.

Check out our guide to senior driving safety to learn about simple modifications you can make to stay safer on the road. We've also talked to health experts about the medical conditions and medications that affect your driving ability. 

Garage doors are easy access points for thieves, and some people have even figured out how to get garage doors open in just six seconds.¹⁸ Use these preventative tips to keep out intruders or shop for a better garage door to enhance security.

It seems like your risk of a car break-in or theft has less to do with your age and more to do with what's in your car and the type of car you're driving.

Older cars may be at a higher risk of car theft because some states allow old cars to be junked without a title.¹⁹ And a car break-in is more likely to happen if you keep valuables—like electronics or tools—within view. 

Many car thefts are crimes of opportunity. Read our car theft prevention guide for tips. 

Storage shelving is a great way to stay organized, but don’t go over the weight limit or you could cause an avalanche. Also, don’t ever climb on shelving to reach something, because this could cause a collapse or fall and lead to serious injury.

The laundry room's danger stems primarily from the dryer. It can catch fire if lint builds up inside the vents.²⁰ Plus, harmful chemicals are often stored in this room. Be sure to clean your laundry room periodically and ensure that everything’s working properly.

In 2010, the National Fire Protection Association reported that washers and dryers caused more than 16,000 fires and almost $240 million in property damage.²⁰ Of those fires, 92% were caused by dryers. That’s because when people forget to clean dryer lint out of the trap and exhaust pipes, it heats up and ignites.

Just like people of all ages, seniors should clean lint from the lint trap with every cycle and perform a deeper clean once a month. A thin, flexible vacuum attachment can reach past the lint trap for a more thorough cleaning.

The major threat to seniors in the home office is fraud. The risk is especially great for people age 80+, who lose three times more money than people between 20 and 70 years old.²¹ 

This is why home computers, phones, and mail are areas of concern for older adults—that’s how criminals take advantage of them. Take a look at how to keep older adults safe online so you can equip yourself with knowledge and educate your loved ones.

In the first quarter of 2022, people 60+ who lost money from an online shopping scam reported an average median loss of nearly $145.²² While it's not the most costly scam, thousands of people fall victim each year.

If you're shopping somewhere new, get a second opinion from a tech-savvy loved one, or even do a Google search to see if anyone has complained about getting scammed.

But since our loved ones aren't always around to check out websites, consider adding a free anti-scam browser extension like Netcraft. It works on the Chrome browser and lets you know that a website seems suspicious. 

Learn more about shopping online safely.

Government imposter scams are the most common scam reported by Americans over 80 and the second-most-common reported by Americans aged 60 to 79.²²

The government never requests Social Security numbers, banking information, or credit card numbers through the mail. Seniors who receive mail asking for money or any of this information should throw it in the trash. Also, sign up for the National Do Not Mail List to declutter your mailbox and avoid getting junk mail.

Hallways should be kept clutter-free for easy evacuation during an emergency. They're also a potential area for falls, especially if you hurry through a hallway to get to another destination, like a bathroom (hurrying is implicated in 6.4% of falls⁴). Here's how to make a hallway a safe space for seniors.

Studies estimate that 2% to 13% of falls among seniors happen on the stairs or steps.^3,4 Add handrails to both sides of the stairs to improve stability.

As in other areas of the home, make sure hallway rugs have a non-slip pad underneath them to prevent them from sliding. Evaluate the carpet on the stairs to make sure it's not loose or sagging. Tack it into place if needed.

It's jarring or even painful to turn on an overhead light when our eyes haven't adjusted yet, so some people may prefer to grope around in a dark hallway on their way to the bathroom or kitchen. But this makes it easy to trip or lose our balance. In fact, about 19% of falls happen in poorly-lit rooms.³

Use motion-sensitive night lights in the hallway to improve visibility during late-night escapades. 

Once the inside of your home is optimized for senior safety, incorporate these outdoor tips for a seriously secure home and lifestyle.

Make sure exterior steps have handrails. They're usually a code requirement, but some older houses may have been grandfathered in without suitable rails. If you want to install them yourself, check your local building code for information about height, building materials, and permits. 

Concrete is prone to cracking and heaving, so a once-smooth sidewalk or driveway could turn into an unexpected trip hazard. Dealing with the problem yourself is relatively easy if you have an angle grinder and a masonry wheel. Just make sure to wear personal protective equipment to avoid breathing in the silica dust.

Wood porches can also become risky for seniors if the boards warp or rot. Keep a close eye on all exterior surfaces and keep them in good condition.

Around 37.5% to 40% of falls happen outside—including in the yard and in public spaces.^3,4 Stepping onto a curb, walking on an uneven surface, or even getting on and off a bus can cause an older person to fall outside. 

If you've already fallen indoors or your doctor believes you're at an increased risk of falling, it's smart to prepare for this scenario. For starters, wear a medical ID bracelet with crucial contact or health information. If you have an iPhone, consider filling out the emergency medical ID profile too.

Other gear you might need includes a cane or a mobile medical alert device. We understand that no one looks forward to getting these accessories, but they're better than the alternative—staying at home.

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1. Gwen Bergen, Ph.D., et. al, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, "Falls and Fall Injuries Among Adults Aged ≥65 Years — United States, 2014," September 2016. Accessed June 23, 2022.
2. Administration for Community Living, "2020 Profile of Older Americans," May 2021. Accessed June 23, 2022.
3. Antoine Piau, MD, Ph.D., et. al, The Journals of Gerontology, "The Five W's of Falls: Weekly Online Health Survey of Community-Dwelling Older Adults: Analysis of 4 Years Prospective Follow-up," May 2020. Accessed June 23, 2022.
4. Andrew Milat, et. al, NSW Public Health Bulletin, "Prevalence, Circumstances, and Consequences of Falls Among Community-Dwelling Older People: Results of the 2009 NSW Falls Prevention Baseline Survey," 2011. Accessed June 23, 2022.
5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Facts About Falls," September 2021. Accessed June 23, 2022.
6. J. Parkkari, et. al, Calcified Tissue International, "Majority of Hip Fractures Occur as a Result of a Fall and Impact on the Greater Trochanter of the Femur: A Prospective Controlled Hip Fracture Study with 206 Consecutive Patients," September 1999. Accessed June 23, 2022.
7. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "WISQARS, Leading Causes of Nonfatal Injury Reports," November 2020. Accessed June 23, 2022.
8. Audrey Weiss, Ph.D., et. al, Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, "Overview of Emergency Department Visits Related to Injuries, by Cause of Injury, 2017," November 2020. Accessed June 23, 2022.
9. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "WISQARS, Leading Causes of Death Reports, 1981 - 2020," February 2020. Accessed June 23, 2022.
10. National Institute on Aging, "Fall-Proofing Your Home," May 2017. Accessed June 23, 2022.
11. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Nonfatal Bathroom Injuries Among Persons Aged ≥15 Years, United States - 2008," June 2011. Accessed June 23, 2022.
12. Morgan Goad, Jewish Family Services Richmond, "Why Does Balance Decline With Age?" January 2020. Accessed June 24, 2022.
13. US Census Bureau, “Mobility is Most Common Disability Among Older Americans, Census Bureau Reports," December 2, 2014. Accessed September 24, 2021.
14. Underwriters Laboratories, "New Demonstration Video Shows You Only Have 3 Minutes to Escape a Home Fire," October 2020. Accessed June 24, 2022.
15. Kathryn Fingar, Ph.D., MPH, et. al, Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, "Opioid-Related and Stimulant-Related Adult Inpatient Stays, 2012-2018," February 2021. Accessed June 24, 2022.
16. US Fire Administration, "Fire Safety for Older Adults," October 2018. Accessed June 24, 2022.
17. City of Fitchburg Public Safety, "Fire Safety for the Elderly." Accessed June 24, 2022.
18. Jennifer Waugh, News4Jax, "Thief Can Open Your Garage Door in 6 Seconds," May 2014. Accessed June 24, 2022.
19. J. David Goodman, The New York Times, "For Car Thieves, the Older and Heavier the Ride, the Better," April 2014. Accessed June 24, 2022.
20. National Fire Protection Association, "New Report Outlines Trends in Home Fires Involving Clothes Dryers and Washing Machines," May 22, 2017. Accessed September 24, 2021.
21. Federal Trade Commission, Fraud Reports, "Percentage Reporting a Fraud Loss and Median Loss by Age," May 2022. Accessed June 28, 2022.
22. Federal Trade Commission, Fraud Reports, "Age Details," May 2022. Accessed June 28, 2022.