About this guide
More than one in four Canadian seniors falls each year. Of those who fall, half will fall again within six months. Falls lead to fractures, hospitalizations, loss of independence, and — in the most serious cases — death. And yet most falls happen in the home, and most are preventable.
This guide takes you room by room through the most common fall hazards in a typical Canadian home, tells you what to fix and in what order of priority, and covers what to do immediately if a fall does happen. It's written to be used by caregivers and seniors together — practical, not clinical, and focused on changes that can be made today.
What's covered — chapter by chapter
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Chapter 1
Why Falls Happen
The physical changes that increase fall risk after 65 — balance and coordination decline, muscle weakness, slower reaction time, medication-caused dizziness, vision changes — and why most people don't recognize how much their risk has changed until after a fall.
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Chapter 2
Room-by-Room Safety Walkthrough
A practical room-by-room review of every major fall hazard in a typical Canadian home — entry and hallways, living room, bedroom, bathroom (the highest-risk room), kitchen, stairs, and outdoors — with specific changes to make in each space.
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Chapter 3
The Body Side of Fall Prevention
Exercise (balance work, leg-strengthening, Tai chi), annual vision exams (covered for seniors 65+ under most provincial health plans), medication review for drugs that affect balance, and footwear — the evidence-based interventions that reduce falls from the inside out.
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Chapter 4
Equipment That Makes a Real Difference
Grab bars (must be anchored into wall studs — towel bars are not grab bars), shower chairs, raised toilet seats, walker and cane selection (including why a cane goes on the strong side, not the weak side), and Personal Emergency Response Systems. Covers equipment loan programs available in most provinces (including Red Cross Equipment Loan Programs and provincial aids programs).
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Chapter 5
Having the Conversation
How to raise home safety with someone who doesn't want to hear it — using "I" language, starting with one thing rather than a list, and the walk-through approach that Carol used with Dorothy to let her identify hazards herself.
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Chapter 6
Making Safety an Ongoing Habit
The monthly 10-minute safety check, seasonal reviews at the start of winter and summer, when to request a professional occupational therapist assessment through your provincial home care authority, and the simple monthly text system Dorothy and Carol now use.
Included: Home Safety Readiness Checklist
Home Safety Readiness Checklist (40+ hazards)
Who this guide is for
Families preparing a home for a senior who is returning from hospital, seniors who have already had a fall and want to prevent the next one, and adult children who are worried about a parent's safety and want a structured way to assess and address the risk.
About the author
Ian spent over 30 years in Canada's home care system, where fall-related hospitalizations were among the most painful — and preventable — outcomes he encountered. This guide is built from that experience and from the practical knowledge of what actually gets used in the home.
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