Home Safety Checklist Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Falls Prevention Services
Name:... Date:... General Action Do you have a smoke detector fitted and working? Do you have a lockable medicine store? Do you have gas appliances checked and serviced regularly? Are there any trailing electrical flexes or telephone Cords? Can you open your windows without taking risks? Can you open your front/back door easily? Do you feel dizzy on raising your arms and tipping your head to do things like changing a light bulb?
General Are any of your electric sockets difficult to reach? Action Are any of your electric plugs difficult to remove? Do you keep your home warm?
Sitting Room/Dining Room Is your favourite chair safe, comfortable and easy to get out of? Is the carpet in good repair and level? Does any of the furniture you lean on / hold onto have castors? Is your furniture placed so that you can walk around easily? Do you have to reach or lean over your furniture to do tasks? If you have an open fire, does it have a guard? Can you see well enough to read and write? Do your lights cast shadows? Do you have any loose rugs?
Hall and Stairs Do you use a letterbox for post to save bending down? Do you have two way light switches? Is your stair carpet well fixed? Do you use your door chain only when opening your door? Do you have long life energy saving light bulbs? Does a neighbour/friend have a spare key? Do you have a night-light in your hall?
Kitchen Is the area well lit? Do your work surfaces cause a glare? Are pan handles turned in and clear of hotplates? Do you have a clear space beside your cooker and sink? Do you keep tea towels away from your cooker? Do you mop up spills immediately? Can you reach into your cupboards without taking risks? Can you open bottles, tins and jars? Is the chair you sit in stable?
Is the floor covering safe and in good repair? If you have a kitchen trolley is it in good repair? Does your table wobble? Are your kitchen steps sturdy? Does your kettle have a short or curly flex? Can you lift your kettle to fill it easily?
Bedroom Is your bed easy to get in and out of? Do you feel dizzy or light headed when you get out of bed? Does your bed move when you sit on it? Is the carpet in good repair and level? Do you have any loose rugs? Do you need to get out of bed during the night? Can you switch your light on easily from your bed? Do you have a telephone near your bed? Can you reach your clothes easily? Is your electric blanket in good condition and checked regularly?
Does your blanket/sheet/duvet trail on the floor?
Bathroom and Toilet Do you leave your door unlocked when taking a bath or shower? yes No Are you able to bath/shower safely? Is your bathroom flooring safe and non-slip? Do you have a non-slip bathmat? Do you run the cold water before the hot when running a bath? Do you keep your bathroom warm? Are the soap, toiletries and towel in easy reach? Do you need grab rails beside the bath and toilet?
Can you get on and off the toilet easily? Have you somewhere to sit if you need to? Could you raise the alarm if you fell in the bathroom?
General Are your door locks secure? Are outside areas well lit? Are any steps safe and easy to use? Are outside paths level and in good repair? Is all outside clutter kept tidy or put away? Can you manage your dustbin? If you use a washing line is it easy to reach and use? Can you pick up your deliveries (post, milk, papers)? Can you bend to garden safely?
Name:... Date:.. Risk Factor Identified Action Taken Date Completed Signature of Person Completing Action
.... Leaflet published: September 2018 Leaflet review date: September 2020 Falls Prevention Services For information about falls prevention please contact the administration hub on 0330 7260077 Patient Advice and Liaison Service For information about CPFT services or to raise an issue, contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) on Freephone 0800 376 0775, or e-mail pals@cpft.nhs.uk Out-of-hours service for CPFT mental health service users Please call NHS 111 for health advice and support.