You can protect yourself from falls by carrying out some simple changes in furniture arrangement, housekeeping, and lighting.

Bedroom

* Place a lamp, telephone and flashlight near your bed.

* Sleep on a bed that is easy to get into and out of.

* Replace satiny sheets and comforter with products made of non-slippery material; that is wool, cotton.

* Arrange clothes in your closet so that they are easy to reach.

* Install a night-light along the route between your bedroom and the bathroom.

* Keep clutter off the bedroom floor.

Living Areas

* Arrange furniture so you have a clear pathway between rooms.

* Keep low-rise coffee tables, magazine racks, footrests and plants out of the path of traffic.

* Install easy-access light switches at entrances to rooms so you won’t have to walk into a darkened room in order to turn on the light. Glow-in-the-dark switches may be helpful.

* Walk only in well-lighted rooms, stairs and halls.

* Do not store boxes near doorways or in hallways.

* Remove newspapers and all clutter from pathways.

* Keep electric, appliance and telephone cords out of walkways, but don’t put cords under a rug.

* Don’t run extension cords across pathways; rearrange furniture.

* Secure loose area rugs with double-faced tape, tacks, or slip-resistant backing.

* Don’t sit in a chair or on a sofa that is so low it is difficult to stand up.

* Repair loose wooden floorboards right away.

* Remove door sills higher than 1/2″ inch.

Kitchen

* Remove throw rugs.

* Clean up immediately any liquids, grease, or food spilled on the floor.

* Store food, dishes, and cooking equipment within easy reach.

* Don’t stand on chairs or boxes to reach upper cabinets.

* Use nonskid floor wax.

Stairs and Steps

* Keep stairs clear of packages, boxes or clutter.

* Light switches should be at the top and bottom of the stairs. Or consider installing motion-detector lights which turn on automatically.

* Provide enough light to see each stair and the top and bottom landings.

* Keep flashlights nearby in case of a power outage.

* Remove loose area rugs from the bottom or top of stairs.

* Replace patterned, dark or deep-pile carpeting with a solid color, which will show the edges of steps more clearly.

* Put non-slip treads on each bare-wood step.

* Install handrails on both sides of the stairway. Each should be 30 inches above the stairs and extend the full length of the stairs.

* Repair loose stairway carpeting or wooden boards immediately.

Bathroom

* Place a slip-resistant rug adjacent to the bathtub for safe exit and entry.

* Mount a liquid soap dispenser on the bathtub/shower wall.

* Install grab bars on the bathroom walls.

* Keep a night-light in the bathroom.

* Use a rubber mat or place nonskid adhesive textured strips on the tub.

* Replace glass shower enclosures with non-shattering material.

* Stabilize yourself on the toilet by using either a raised seat or a special toilet seat with armrests.

* Use a sturdy, plastic seat in the bathtub if you cannot lower yourself to the floor of the tub or if you are unsteady.