How to Make Your Parent's Home Safer Before a Fall Happens
Falls are the leading cause of injury-related death among New Mexicans 65 and older, and most are preventable. Here's how to make your parent's home safer before an accident happens.
Penny Krautbauer
Transitions in Senior Care, Rio Rancho NM
No family plans for a fall, yet falls are the leading cause of injury-related death among New Mexicans 65 and older, and they are among the most common reasons a family suddenly has to arrange care. The encouraging part is that most falls are preventable. Small, practical changes to a senior's home can meaningfully reduce the risk, and families can make most of them this week, before a crisis ever forces a decision.
Where do falls most often happen?
Most falls at home happen during ordinary routines: getting in and out of the tub or shower, getting up at night to use the bathroom, climbing stairs, or reaching for something on a high shelf. The bedroom-to-bathroom path is the most common stretch, especially in the dark. Because most falls happen in familiar, everyday places, the fix starts with looking at the home through fresh eyes.
What are the biggest fall risks to look for?
The usual culprits are small and easy to overlook: loose throw rugs and slippery bath mats, clutter and electrical cords crossing walkways, stairs without secure handrails, poor lighting and nighttime shadows, and everyday items stored just out of reach. Any one of these may seem minor. Together, they quietly raise the risk, and a single stumble can change everything.
How can you make the home safer this week?
Most safety improvements do not require a remodel. Install grab bars inside and outside the tub or shower and beside the toilet. Add a shower bench and non-slip bath mats. Secure or remove throw rugs, clear clutter and cords from high-traffic paths, and put nightlights along the route from bed to bathroom. Keep everyday items within easy reach instead of on high shelves, and make sure stairs have handrails on both sides. If getting in and out of bed is a struggle, a lower bed or a bedside rail can help. None of this is about taking away a senior's independence. It is about making the home a place where independence can safely continue.
What local help is available in Albuquerque and Rio Rancho?
Families in our area do not have to do this alone. Albuquerque Fire Rescue's H.E.A.R.T. program offers home safety assessments to eligible residents and can connect families with simple modifications such as grab bars and raised toilets. The City of Albuquerque's Department of Senior Affairs and the New Mexico Adult Falls Prevention Coalition offer free fall-risk screenings, including strength and balance checks and home safety education. And the New Mexico Department of Health supports evidence-based programs like A Matter of Balance and Tai Chi that help older adults build strength, steadiness, and confidence. A call to the New Mexico Aging and Disability Resource Center can point your family to what is available nearby.
What if your parent has already had a fall?
A first fall is a warning, not just bad luck, and a second one can be far more serious. After any fall or near-fall, ask your parent's doctor for a fall-risk assessment, including a look at medication side effects and balance. Then take an honest look at the home, and at how much support a family can realistically provide. Sometimes a few changes make home safe for now. Other times, it becomes clear that a community with meals, medication help, and watchful staff is the safest place for the next season. You do not have to make that call alone.
A home-safety checklist to start with
- Install grab bars inside and outside the tub or shower, and beside the toilet.
- Add a shower bench and non-slip bath mats.
- Secure or remove throw rugs, and clear clutter and cords from walkways.
- Put nightlights along the bedroom-to-bathroom route.
- Keep everyday items within easy reach, and add handrails on both sides of the stairs.
- Ask for a doctor's fall-risk check after any fall or near-fall.
A few small changes now can spare your family a rushed decision later. That is exactly what planning ahead is for. Call me before the crisis, or when the crisis happens, and together we will figure out what comes next. Helping families navigate the journey to senior care with confidence and peace of mind is what I do, one family at a time.
Need help with your own situation?
Penny listens first, then helps you understand what comes next. No pressure, ever.
