Learn some tips and ideas to create a safe home environment. Make your home entry, living/family room, kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, laundry room, and garage safe, easy to navigate, and fit your needs. This information can be helpful for survivors of stroke, individuals who wish to age in place, or anyone who wants to feel safe and confident at home. Creating a safe home environment is very important to feel safe and confident in the space you spend a majority of time each day.
Features to Consider All Throughout your Home (0:18-1:57)
Lighting, flooring, the presence of clutter, and how furniture/items are placed should be considered in every room of your home. Considering these four factors in each room will help you stay safe and prevent falls.
Home Entry (1:58-3:09)
For your home entry, you want to consider the walkway, add railings if you have stairs or a ramp, make sure your entry is non-slip, and consider changes like a lever door knob or a lightweight door made of aluminum or fiberglass.
Living/Family Room (3:10-4:08)
In your living room it is important to make sure you have room to navigate, consider furniture placement and design and secure or remove area rugs. You could also explore a recliner that assists with standing, a TV with a larger screen, and a remote with larger buttons.
Kitchen (4:09-5:19)
To promote safety in the kitchen, remove area rugs, consider installing D shaped handles instead of knobs to make opening cabinets easier, store frequently used items in a spot you can access, explore adaptive equipment options, and make sure you have a fire extinguisher.
Bedroom (5:20-6:25)
In the bedroom, you want to remove clutter, secure area rugs, make sure your bedding does not reach the floor, and have sturdy furniture that will not tip over. A bed railing could also be considered to help with stability and balance.
Bathroom (6:26-7:59)
You can increase your safety and ability to access your bathroom by adding a tub or shower chair, installing grab bars, using a raised toilet seat, and securing bathmats. You can also make sure that frequently used items are accessible and explore using a removable shower head or a long handled sponge while you bathe.
Laundry Room (8:00-9:36)
For your laundry room, you want to think about the design of your washer and dryer because front load machines can be easier to use. Other things to consider include an ironing board that extends from the wall, using a smaller hamper with a bag, and label/color code appliances and supplies.
Garage (9:37-10:35)
Your garage is very similar to other rooms in your house. In this area, you want to make sure you have room to navigate, remove clutter, add railings to stairs, consider changing the doorknob, and make sure the flooring is non-slip.
Resources (10:35-10:58)
Here are the resources used for the presentation. Many of the tips and ideas shared can be found in local home improvement stores, such as Lowes or Home Depot, as well as online.