red flags of home safety

Introduction

General

• anything that can trip you
  • plastic bags
  • newspapers
  • junk mail
  • telephone or electric cords
  • O2 tubing
  • dogs & cats & their toys
  • uneven walkways
  • worn carpeting
  • thresholds
  • hoses
  • too much furniture
• Anything not securely bolted onto wall (or heavy furniture)

Outside:

• uneven walkways of sidewalks
• walkways with hoses, tools, leaves & other debris
• poor lighting near steps & doors
• no hand rails at steps

Bathroom:

• no grab bars in or near shower/tub area, commode
• non-skid mats missing
• doors that automatically lock when closed or are easily blocked if someone falls
• no nightlights in the bathroom or hallway to bathroom

Other areas in the home:

• rugs at the bottom or top of stairways
• no hand rails in stairwells
• poor lighting
• smoke detectors unhooked or pulled out of the wall
• uneven flooring, torn carpeting
• stairs

Dementia:

• fires (cooking) & weapons
• burned pots & pans, smoke/fire marks on walls
• remove weapons from home if possible or at least remove ammunition
• wandering: register with Safe Return through Alzheimer's Association

More general terms

• red flags

Additional terms

• home safety