According to the Home Safety Council, falls are the leading cause of unintentional home injury death, accounting for an average of 5.1 million injuries and 6,000 deaths each year. As a result, here are some home safety tips and valuable information to help individuals and families, especially those with aging parents avoid being a statistic. Here are some quick safety tips to look for in your home, or your parent’s home, to prevent falls.

• Make sure stairs and steps, indoors and outside, have handrails on both sides that go form top to bototm.
• Make sure top and bottom of stairs, indoors and outside, are well lit.
• Small area rugs are easy to trip on. Tape them to the floor, or get rid of them.
• Keep stairs clear of stuff, inside and outside.
• Have night lights in bedrooms, bathrooms, and hallways.
• Use a bath mat or non-slip strips in the bathtub and shower.
• Use non-slip rugs on the bathroom floor.
• Install grab bars in the bathtub and shower.
• Wipe up spills when they happen, and keep bathroom floors dry.
• Make sure porches are well lit.
• Keep sidewalks and paths in good repair, and clear of toys and other things.
• Fix broken stairs or chipped sidewalks as soon as possible.

This June, and throughout the year, make sure your home is a safe place to live.