How to Prevent Falls at Home
To prevent falls at home, focus on making your living space safer and supporting your balance and strength.
Each year, an estimated 684,000 individuals die from falls globally of which over 80% are in low- and middle-income countries.
Falls can affect anyone, but they are especially common in older adults. 1/3 in people over 65 will fall each year, and by age 80, that number rises to 1/2. For many, a fall may result in minor injuries, but for others, it can lead to broken bones, long hospital stays, or a decline in confidence and mobility. While falls are a natural part of ageing, simple prevention steps can make a big difference.
Exercises that build balance, strength, and flexibility help keep the body steady and resilient. For older adults, even small amounts of daily activity can boost confidence and reduce the likelihood of a fall. By being proactive and making small changes at home and in daily routines, individuals and families can significantly reduce the risk of falls.
Use our checklist to identify fall risk in your home:
Addressing these questions
Once you have asked yourself these important questions, the next step is to decide how best to address them and take action to make your home a safer place. For example, ask yourself: Can you reach everything in your house safely?
If the answer is no, that may point to a fall risk. Stretching too far or climbing onto unstable chairs or stools can easily lead to accidents. A simple solution is to reorganise your home so that everyday items are stored within easy reach, to reduce the need for climbing or overstretching.
Health and safety practices teach us that risk management follows three key steps: identify, avoid, and control. You have already taken the first step by identifying risks in your home. The next step is to consider how you can avoid these hazards, and finally, how you can eliminate or control them altogether.
For instance, you may have noticed loose cables running across your floors. Simply being aware of the hazard allows you to take extra care when moving around, but to fully address the issue, you should remove or secure the cables completely. This transforms your home into a safer environment, reducing the chance of slips and trips.
By working through risks one by one—whether it’s reaching for high shelves, clutter, poor lighting, or uneven flooring—you can make steady improvements that protect your wellbeing and give you greater confidence in your day-to-day life.
Fall prevention products available online
Interweave’s products can play an important role in helping you stay safe and independent. There are a variety of items designed to reduce the risk of slips, trips, and falls in everyday living. Products that make moving around the home easier, these solutions can give you greater confidence and peace of mind as you go about your daily routine.
Non slip socks
These socks feature a tread on the sole and top of the foot, which reduces your risk of falling on slippery floors like hardwood.
They are made with a stretchy material, so they are comfortable and practical. Traditional socks and slippers are not considered suitable footwear for most floor types. Try these instead.
Fall Prevention Kit
This kit features a double-tread non-slip sock and a fleece blanket.
Designed to identify at-risk individuals and help reduce inpatient falls visually with the bright yellow colour.
Previous studies have shown that the Falls Prevention Kit minimises the number of falls by 50% in an NHS hospital.
Bed ladder strap
This item is used to help you sit up in bed without support from others.
This strap safely allows you to rise and get out of bed in a safe manner, therefore reducing your risk of falling out of bed. It also gives you some choice and independence.
Bariatric socks
Ideal for those with limited mobility, especially those with diabetic ulcers, post‑operative swelling, or persistent oedema.
Protective non‑slip treads on both the top and bottom to ensure traction stays intact even if the sock shifts during movement.
Crafted from a soft, open-knit mesh, the upper adapts to swollen feet and ankles.
Read more blogs:
Falls Prevention in Ageing Populations
Why is it Important to Encourage Patients to Move?
What Helps With Swollen Legs in the Elderly?
Sources
- https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/falls/
- https://www.csp.org.uk/publications/get-go-guide-staying-steady-english-version
- https://alertforce.com.au/the-5-step-hierarchy-of-fall-prevention/
