5 Overlooked Fall Hazards at Home and How to Prevent Them

A towel bar in the bathroom. A dining chair used for balance. A short walk to the toilet in the middle of the night.

These might seem like ordinary parts of daily life, but they can create unexpected fall hazards for older adults.

We asked 11 of Elderado’s Executive Verified Home Care Partners to share commonly overlooked fall hazards they see in their clients homes, and what you can do to make home safer.

Their answers highlight five risks worth checking in your home or a loved one’s home, along with practical ways to reduce them.

1. Nighttime Trips to the Bathroom

One of the most overlooked fall hazards is a trip many older adults make every night: getting out of bed to use the bathroom.

Michelle Frauley, Founder and CEO of HosPall Homecare, explains:

“Families usually look for loose rugs and cluttered stairs, but the most risky walk in the house is often the short one from the bed to the toilet.”

Someone may be half asleep, in a hurry or feeling lightheaded after standing up. Poor lighting, a sleeping pet, or a clutter along the way can make the situation more dangerous.

Monique Gabriel, Territory Director at FirstLight Home Care of Halton, points out why this risk is easily missed:

“Families tend to look at the home in daylight, when everything is bright, familiar and easy to move through. But many falls happen in the dark, between the bed and the bathroom, when a loved one is half asleep, a little unsteady and trying not to wake anyone.”

How to make it safer

• Install motion-activated night lights along the route from the bed to the bathroom.
• Keep shoes, cords, laundry baskets and other obstacles out of the walkway.
• If someone feels lightheaded when getting up, encourage them to sit at the edge of the bed before standing.
• Install properly secured grab bars near the toilet and bathing areas.
• Consider a bedside commode for someone who is particularly unsteady.

Practical tip: Walk the route from your loved one’s bed to their bathroom at night. You may notice obstacles or dark areas that aren’t obvious during the day.

2. Loose Rugs, Mats and Poor Lighting

Loose rugs are a familiar hazard, but they’re easy to overlook when they’ve been part of a home for years.

Vanessa Vargas, Co-founder of PSW To The Rescue, identifies:

“Loose throw rugs and mats, especially in bathrooms, hallways and beside the bed. They can slide, curl at the edges or catch a person’s foot or mobility aid.”

Mehwish Bashir, CEO and Founder of MyWish Healthcare Solutions, offers practical advice:

“Families can reduce fall risks by securing or removing loose rugs, keeping walkways and stairs clear, improving lighting, installing grab bars or handrails where needed, and keeping frequently used items within easy reach.”

Lighting is another important consideration.

Mario Thomas, Owner of Qualicare Home Care Waterloo Region, recommends:

“Motion-Activated Night Lights: Plug smart, motion-sensing LED night lights into hallways, bathrooms, and bedrooms.”

How to make it safer

• Remove unnecessary rugs or secure them with appropriate non-slip backing.
• Keep stairs, entrances and hallways clear of clutter.
• Move electrical cords out of walking paths.
• Improve lighting in frequently used areas.
• Install motion-activated lights in bedrooms, bathrooms and hallways.
• Consider high-contrast, non-slip tape along stair edges to make steps easier to see.

These relatively simple changes can help reduce tripping hazards throughout the home.

3. Furniture That Isn’t Designed to Support Someone’s Weight

Sometimes the danger isn’t something on the floor. It’s what an older adult reaches for when they lose their balance.

Girlie Hart, CEO and Founder of Modern Angels Healthcare, identifies a hazard families may not immediately recognize:

“One overlooked fall hazard is the furniture an older adult quietly relies on for balance. A dining chair, bedside table, or towel rail may become an unofficial walking aid – yet it can move or give way when weight is placed on it.”

Girlie encourages families to ask what their loved one is holding onto as they move through a room. Someone may appear to be managing independently because they’ve developed ways to compensate for declining balance.

Jake Mitten, Owner and Managing Director of Home Instead Markham, identifies a specific example: bathroom towel bars.

“When someone is slightly off balance or needs a bit of support getting out of the tub or shower, they grab whatever’s closest, and that’s usually the towel bar.”

Most towel bars aren’t designed to support someone’s body weight and may pull away from the wall.

How to make it safer

• Install properly anchored grab bars near the tub, shower and toilet.
• Pay attention to furniture your loved one regularly uses for balance.
• Avoid relying on movable chairs or tables for walking support.
• Consider an occupational therapy assessment if someone increasingly relies on furniture to move around.
• Explore appropriately fitted mobility aids when recommended by a qualified professional.

Practical tip: Watch how your loved one moves around their home. Are they reaching for furniture or walls to steady themselves? That may be a sign that additional support is needed.

4. Hard-to-Reach Kitchen Items

The kitchen is another area where ordinary routines can create fall hazards.

Steve Kelly, Owner of Always Best Care Senior Services Oakville, highlights:

“Using a step stool without a handrail to reach items in a high kitchen cupboard. It’s an everyday task, but reaching overhead or leaning sideways without anything to hold onto can easily lead to a fall.”

Cathy Dow, Owner of Home Instead Durham East, offers a straightforward recommendation:

“Make things easy to reach. Eliminate extraneous reaching for everyday items. Keep household essentials at a comfortable height.”

How to make it safer

• Move frequently used dishes, food and supplies to easy-to-reach shelves.
• Avoid storing everyday items in high cupboards.
• Don’t use chairs or unstable stools to reach items.
• If something higher up is needed, use a sturdy step ladder with a handrail when safe to do so.
• Ask for assistance when balance or mobility is a concern.

Practical tip: Look inside your loved one’s kitchen cupboards. Moving everyday items to waist or chest height can eliminate unnecessary reaching and climbing.

5. Medication Side Effects That Affect Balance

Not every fall hazard is part of the physical home environment.

Bethel McMaster, RN, Director of Intake and Business Development at INTEGRAcare, explains:

“Taking many medications can increase the risk of dizziness, drowsiness, confusion, low blood pressure, and impaired balance.”

Glen Robson, Owner at Home Instead Peterborough, highlights another important consideration:

“In fact, a medication that helps manage one health condition can unintentionally increase the risk of a fall at home.”

Medications can affect someone’s alertness, coordination and ability to react quickly.

How to make it safer

• Ask a pharmacist or physician to review prescription and over-the-counter medications.
• Watch for new dizziness, confusion, excessive sleepiness or unsteadiness.
• Pay particular attention after a medication is started or its dosage changes.
• Discuss concerning side effects with a healthcare professional.
• Never stop or change prescribed medications without professional guidance.

Practical tip: If your loved one suddenly seems less steady on their feet, ask whether there have been any recent medication changes and discuss the symptoms with their healthcare team.

10-Minute Home Fall Prevention Checklist

You don’t need to renovate an entire home to start reducing fall hazards.

Take 10 minutes to look for these common risks.

Bedroom and bathroom

• Check the route from the bedroom to the bathroom at night.
• Install night lights and remove obstacles from the walkway.
• Check whether towel bars or furniture are being used for balance.

Floors and stairs

• Remove or secure loose rugs and mats.
• Clear cords, shoes and other clutter from walking paths.
• Make sure stairways and hallways are well lit.

Kitchen

• Move frequently used items within comfortable reach.
• Eliminate the need to climb on chairs or unstable stools.

Health and medication

• Ask about dizziness, unsteadiness or recent medication changes.
• Notice whether your loved one increasingly relies on furniture for balance.

This checklist is a starting point, not a complete fall risk assessment. If your loved one has fallen, is frequently unsteady or has new mobility concerns, speak with an appropriate healthcare professional.

Meet the 11 Home Care Experts

This article features advice from 11 Elderado Executive Verified Home Care Partners across Ontario.

Executive Verified Home Care Partners complete an Executive Verified Video Audit with Elderado, providing families with additional information about their caregiver qualifications, screening, insurance, and care practices.

• Michelle Frauley, Founder and CEO, HosPall Homecare
• Steve Kelly, Owner, Always Best Care Senior Services Oakville
• Mehwish Bashir, CEO and Founder, MyWish Healthcare Solutions
• Mario Thomas, Owner, Qualicare Home Care Waterloo Region
• Bethel McMaster, RN, Director of Intake and Business Development, INTEGRAcare
• Jake Mitten, Owner and Managing Director, Home Instead Markham
• Vanessa Vargas, Co-founder, PSW To The Rescue
• Monique Gabriel, Territory Director, FirstLight Home Care of Halton
• Glen Robson, Owner, Home Instead Peterborough
• Cathy Dow, Owner, Home Instead Durham East
• Girlie Hart, CEO and Founder, Modern Angels Healthcare

Elderado’s Executive Verified designation provides additional transparency into how participating companies operate. It isn’t a guarantee of care quality or a substitute for evaluating whether a company is right for your family’s needs.

Need Help Keeping a Loved One Safe at Home?

Making a home safer is an important step, but sometimes an older adult also needs help with everyday activities.

Home care companies can provide support with bathing, dressing, meal preparation, mobility and other daily routines, depending on the services they offer.

Elderado is a free website that helps families find and compare home care companies across Ontario.

You can explore company profiles, compare services and review recorded video audits from Executive Verified Home Care Partners.

Find and Compare Home Care Companies on Elderado