Your home should be your safe space. But unfortunately, serious injuries and deaths happen at home all the time. The most common cause of injury at home is falls. More than 14 million, or 1 in 4, adults aged 65 or older report falling every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.* Falls also account for up to 25 percent of home deaths, according to the National Safety Council.*

Here’s what you need to know to prevent falls and keep yourself and your loved ones safe.

How to prevent a fall

Falls are the leading cause of injury in adults aged 65 and older.* Falls lead to more emergency room visits and deaths than they should. Here are some ways you can prevent them at home:

1. Declutter

Remove throw rugs that are prone to slipping and keep your floor clear of clutter to remove tripping hazards, advises Nathan Kadlecek, PT, a physical therapist at Natividad Medical Center in Salinas, California. If you have a dog, now is the time to teach them to not walk in front of you, or behind you, which can cause you to trip, he adds.

2. Install inexpensive grab bars

One of the highest fall risk areas is the bathroom, especially the shower or bathtub, says Stella Bard, MD, a rheumatologist in McKinney, Texas. She recommends that you install grab bars there and have a non-skid rubber mat in the shower or tub with suction cups. It’s also a good idea to use a shower chair that has a back and rubber, non-skid tips on its legs, as well as a handheld showerhead. These can all reduce the risk that you take a tumble in the tub.

3. Invest in an assistive reaching device

This type of device allows you to pick things up off the floor or low down without bending or reaching, which raises risk of falls, says Bard. You can find one at medical or rehabilitation and wellness stores. Try not to hang things or put them in places where you have to use a stepladder to get to them.

4. Let there be light

Make sure there is good lighting everywhere, including at the top and bottom of stairs and at the ends of long halls. The National Institute on Aging recommends that you use motion-activated lights that plug into electrical outlets and automatically turn on when you walk past them.*

5. Choose the right footwear

It’s important to wear stable footwear even when you’re in the comfort of your own home, says Bard. Wear rubber-soled, low-heeled shoes inside. Don’t walk around in socks, or in slippers with smooth soles.

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6. Color code your stairs

You can add colored tape to the edges of each step so that you can see them better. Make sure the tape is on the top and over the edge of each step.

7. Get your vision and hearing tested

Even small changes in sight and hearing raise the risk of falls, according to the National Institute of Health. Research suggests that even mild hearing loss can triple your risk of a fall. The theory is that since your brain must work harder to hear, it makes it more difficult for you to keep your balance.* Get both your vision and hearing checked, and, if you need glasses or hearing aids, be sure to wear them.

8. Stay physically active

Basic strength training moves, such as squats and lunges, are helpful because they can keep your lower body strong and improve balance. Both of which reduce risk of falls, says Kadlecek. Also work on building your balance with exercises like standing on one leg.
 

If you are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid, you may be eligible for an Aetna® Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan (D-SNP).

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*FOR STATISTICS ON FALLS SOURCE: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Older adult fall data. Last reviewed May 9, 2024. Accessed September 9, 2024.

*FOR STATISTICS ON DEATHS FROM FALLS: National Safety Council. Home and community overview. Accessed September 8, 2024.

*FOR RECOMMENDATIONS ON MOTION-TRIGGERED LIGHTS SOURCE: National Institute on Aging. Preventing Falls at Home: Room by Room. Last reviewed September 12, 2022. Accessed September 8, 2024.

*FOR THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HEARING AND FALLS SOURCE: National Institute on Aging. Hearing loss: a common problem for older adults. Last reviewed January 9, 2023. Accessed September 8, 2024.

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