Seniors Personal Home and Safety

Injuries can result from seemingly innocent things around your home—many of which are easily fixed or adapted after you do some detective work to track them down. The following checklists will help you inspect your home for evidence of trouble that may be waiting to happen. Every NO answer is a clue that your home may not be as safe as it could be and that you should be making the needed changes as soon as you can. Your safety depends on it!

Make sure to check the following for your own safety:

 

Out Door

• Do all your entrances have an outdoor light?Yes_ No_
• Do your outdoor stairs, pathways or decks have railings and provide good traction (i.e. textured surfaces)Yes_ No_
• Are the front steps and walkways around your house in good repair and free of clutter, snow or leaves?Yes_ No_
• Do the doorways to your balcony or deck have a low sill or threshold? Yes_ No_
• Can you reach your mailbox safely and easily?Yes_ No_
• Is the number of your house clearly visible from the street and well lit at night?Yes_ No_

 

In Door

• Are all rooms and hallways in your home well lit?Yes_ No_
• Are all throw rugs and scatter mats secured in place to keep them from slipping?Yes_ No_
• Have you removed scatter mats from the top of the stairs and high traffic areas?Yes_ No_
• Are your high traffic areas clear of obstacles?Yes_ No_
• Do you always watch that your pets are not underfoot? Yes_ No_
• If you use floor wax, do you use the non-skid kind?Yes_ No_
• Do you have a first aid kit and know where it is?Yes_ No_
• Do you have a list of emergency numbers near all phones? Yes_ No_

Stairs

• Are your stairways well lit and do you have light switches at the top and bottom of the stairs?Yes_ No_
• Are your stairs in good repair and free of clutter? Yes_ No_
• Do the steps of your stairs have a non-skid surface? Yes_ No_
• Are there solid handrails on both sides of the stairway?Yes_ No_
• Do you remove your reading glasses when using the stairs?Yes_ No_

FIRE AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS

• Do you have a smoke detector on every floor of your home?Yes_ No_
• Do you test your smoke detector every six months?Yes_ No_
• Have you developed an escape route in case of fire and a fire safety plan?Yes_ No_
• Are you registered on your apartment building’s fire safety plan?Yes_ No_
• Do you have a carbon monoxide detector in your home?Yes_ No_
• Are flammable and hazardous materials clearly labelled and properly stored?Yes_ No_
• If you use a space heater, is it placed well away from flammable substances and materials?Yes_ No_
• Do you use appropriate power bars to prevent overloading electrical outlets?Yes_ No_
• If you live in an older home, have you or an electrician inspected your wiring, fuse box, electrical cords and appliances for safety?Yes_ No_

 

Bathroom

• Do you test the water temperature before you get into the bathtub or shower?Yes_ No_
• Is your hot water temperature set to the recommended 49°C (120°F) ?Yes_ No_
• Do you have non-slip surfaces in the tub or shower?Yes_ No_
• Do bath mats next to the tub or shower have rubberized backing or are they secured in place to keep them from slipping? Yes_ No_
• Do you have a night light in the bathroom?Yes_ No_
• Does your bathroom door lock have an emergency release?Yes_ No_
• Do you have grab bars that have been properly placed and well anchored to the wall in the bathtub or shower?Yes_ No_
• If you have any trouble getting on and off the toilet, do you have a raised toilet seat and a grab bar that is well anchored?Yes_ No_
• If it’s difficult for you to take a shower standing up, have you considered a bath seat?Yes_ No_

 

Kitchen

• Are your pots and pans, canned goods and staple foods stored in an easy–to–reach location—between knee and shoulder heights?Yes_ No_
• Are heavy items stored in the lower cupboards and light items in the higher cupboards?Yes_ No_
• Do you have a stable step stool (with a safety rail) for reaching high places?Yes_ No_
• Are the “off” and “on” positions on the stove dials clearly marked?Yes_ No_
• Are your oven mitts within easy reach when you are cooking?Yes_ No_
• Do you make sure never to cook while wearing loose-fitting clothing or sleepwear?Yes_ No_
• Do you have a fire extinguisher in the kitchen, mounted on the wall away from the stove?Yes_ No_
• Do you regularly check that your fire extinguisher is in good operating order?Yes_ No_

 

Bed room

• Is there a light switch near the entrance to your bedroom?Yes_ No_
• Do you have a lamp or a light switch near your bed? Yes_ No_
• Do you keep night lights or other sources of light on in case you get up in the middle of the night?Yes_ No_
• Is there a clear path from your bed to the bathroom?Yes_ No_
• Do you have a phone and a list of emergency phone numbers near your bed?Yes_ No_

 

Garage and Basement

• Are your workroom and laundry room well lit?Yes_ No_
• Do you have a telephone in the basement and a list of emergency phone numbers?Yes_ No_
• Do you keep floors and benches clean to reduce fire and tripping hazards? Yes_ No_
• Are all your tools and service equipment in good condition? Are the safety locks on?Yes_ No_
• Is your work area well ventilated, summer and winter? Yes_ No_
• Are heavy items on lower shelves or in bottom cupboards? Yes_ No_
• Do you use a ladder or a stable step stool (with a safety rail) for reaching high places? Yes_ No_
• Are all chemicals, such as bleach, cleaners and paint thinners, clearly identified? Yes_ No_
• Are flammable materials stored as indicated by the directions on the label and away from sources of heat and flame? Yes_ No_
• If you have a gas barbecue, is your propane tank stored outside of the house? Yes_ No_