We all spend much of our time on the move, mostly without thinking about safety. Some simple adjustments can help everyone stay on their feet.
The easiest way to get started is to organize. Arrange furniture so there’s plenty of room for walking. Clear clutter from the floor (that pile of magazines by the easy chair would look so much better in a magazine stand), make sure the kids pick up their toys, and clean up food and drink spills immediately.
Floors and Stairs
Clean up food and drink spills immediately; a wet floor is a dangerous floor. Similarly, don’t walk on newly washed, slippery floors until they are dry. Unless the house is completely carpeted, don’t walk around the house in socks. For those who can’t stand wearing shoes inside, consider a pair of non-slip slippers, or at the very least, grip-soled socks.Wood floors add a traditional warmth to a room, but they also can be as slick as an ice-skating rink. An anti-slip floor finish is a liquid solution that contains tiny particles to add friction to the surface yet isn’t visible to the naked eye. These are available as paint or as a clear coating.
Modern tiles offer various levels of slip resistance, but what if you have an existing floor you love? No worries; there are non-slip treatments for everything from tile to polished marble and natural stone.
Loose carpets or area rugs are the cause of many accidents. Secure them with gripper tape or Velcro, or place rubber waffle pads or even inexpensive rubber shelf liners underneath to help prevent them from sliding. For bathrooms, choose non-skid mats with rubbery bottoms.
Add anti-skid tape to wood or tile stairs. Bright colors and luminous tape are available for dimly lit locations, such as basement stairs. Another option is to use adhesive-backed, non-slip carpet stair treads for a traditional, decorative look. For wood (interior) or concrete (exterior) stairs, use non-slip aluminum stair nosing, which covers the edge and a bit of the front of the step, or a tread and nosing combination, which covers the entire step and provides a high level of safety. Both are available for indoor and outdoor applications, pre-drilled and ready to screw securely into place.
Further Risk Reductions
Check that all handrails and grab rails are properly secured. Ideally, stairs should have handrails on both sides, but what’s even more important is that they be used. Get into the habit of holding onto the handrail when going up and down the stairs, even if it’s just a light grip. This is especially important when carrying packages, which should be held such that they don’t block the view of the stair treads.Keep essential items at hand. This may involve purchasing a second set of key items such as reading glasses, toiletries, cleaning supplies, etc., with one for each level to lessen the need for trips up and down the stairs.
Bright Ideas
Despite the most vigilant efforts, a slip, trip, or fall condition can occur, whether it’s an item set down and forgotten or an older carpet that begins to lift at the edge. The best way to protect against unanticipated problems is good lighting.Increase a room’s wattage, upgrade fixtures, or re-aim lighting when appropriate, particularly near doorways and in hallways and staircases. Light switches should be placed at convenient locations. If they’re not, consider adding motion detector light switches that turn on the minute you enter a room. Add nightlights throughout the house, choosing models that turn on automatically after dark.
Lastly, always keep a charged flashlight near the bed in case the power goes out. Proper visibility reduces risk.
