Home safety assessment
Also called: home hazard assessment, fall-proofing home
What it means
A home safety assessment is a check of your living space to spot and fix fall hazards, like loose rugs, poor lighting, or missing grab bars.
Most fragility fractures happen after a fall, so making your home safer directly lowers your chance of breaking a bone.
A home safety assessment is a walkthrough of where you live to find things that could cause a trip, slip, or fall. This might be done by a physical or occupational therapist, a nurse, or even yourself using a checklist. It looks at lighting, floor surfaces, stairs, bathrooms, and the layout of furniture and cords.
Common fixes include removing loose rugs, adding grab bars near the toilet and shower, improving lighting (especially in hallways and on stairs), securing cords and clutter, and adding non-slip mats. Simple changes like using a nightlight or rearranging frequently used items to waist height can also lower risk.
This matters because falls, not low bone density alone, often trigger the fragility fractures that bone-health care tries to prevent. Combining a safer home with balance training and strength work addresses both the 'bone' side and the 'fall' side of fracture risk.
Fixing hazards like loose rugs or poor lighting at home directly lowers your chance of breaking a bone.
Where this leads
WordYou've checked your space for hazards. Wondering how a quick timed test can also reveal your personal fall and balance risk?
Related words
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Education only, not medical advice. Decisions about tests, medications and treatment belong with your own doctor. OsteoStrong does not diagnose, treat or cure any disease.
