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Staying independent
Creating a safe home
"I want to know what changes I can make so I can continue to live in it safely."
Hall and stairs
Our tips
Here’s a list things you can do to make your hall, stairs and landing safer and prevent slips, trips or falls:
Lighting
- Always use the lights when you are moving around in these areas.
- Consider installing a high wattage bulb, such as 100 watt, to provide extra light so you can see easier.
- Install night lights in these areas so you can find your way to the main light switch. Night lights are low energy lights that plug into a main socket and emit a low level light. It is recommended that you use the dusk-to-dawn type that switches on automatically.
Stairs and steps
- If you have trouble seeing the edge of the steps, ask someone to secure brightly coloured non slip tape on the edge of each step.
- Repair loose or uneven steps.
- Where you have carpet on steps make sure that it is firmly attached to every step. If not, secure loose carpet edges with double sided tape or ask someone to remove it and attach non-slip rubber treads to the stairs.
- Remove any obstacles that could cause a trip hazard.
- If you use a walking aid, keep one at the top and bottom of the stairs.
- If you have stair rails make sure they are securely fitted and, if possible, they are fitted to both sides of the stairs.
Equipment that may help
There are lots of living aids that can help you move up and down the stairs, including a:
- grab rail, or extra bannister - this may make it easier for you to manage walking up the stairs
- stair lift - this is a chair that you sit in to take you up the stairs.
Find out more about aids, equipment and adaptations to make your life easier.