Free printable

Free Home Fall Risk Checklist for Older Adults

Find the most common safety risks in your home in just a few minutes. A simple printable for older adults, adult children, and caregivers.

• Room-by-room walkthrough
• Clear, plain-English checks
• Helpful for solo or family use

Ready for the full plan? See Reduce Home Fall Risks by 80% in 30 Days.

What is inside the checklist

Eight areas of the home, each with a short list of plain-English checks you can answer yes or no while standing in the room:

• Entryways — lighting, thresholds, handrails, and somewhere to set bags down
• Living areas — clear walking paths, rugs, and a chair you can push up from
• Kitchen — reachable storage, a proper step stool, dry floors
• Bathroom — grab bars, non-slip surfaces, seat height
• Bedroom — the night-time route to the bathroom, and light you can reach from bed
• Stairs and hallways — handrails, visible step edges, switches at both ends
• Outside — paths, outdoor lighting, and who clears ice in winter
• Everyday habits — footwear, carrying a phone, medication reviews, eyesight

It finishes with a short priority list — the five fixes that cover the largest share of serious falls — and a write-in plan sorted into today, this month, and later.

How to use it

Print it, then walk the house one room at a time and tick as you go. A blank box is simply a to-do; you are not meant to finish with a perfect score. Most homes turn up five to ten quick wins that take under an hour each, and those are where to start.

If you are working through it for a parent, go through it together rather than handing it over. It is their home, and changes tend to last when they have had a say in them.

Why it is worth an hour

About one in four adults aged 65 and older falls each year, and most of those falls happen at home (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). The encouraging part is how ordinary the causes are — a loose rug, a dim hallway, a bathroom with nothing to hold onto — and how cheaply most of them are fixed.

This checklist is general safety guidance, not medical advice. If falls, dizziness, or balance problems are already happening, speak with a doctor.