How to Make Your Home Safer for Aging Adults
Children have an amazing ability to find things adults never notice. A dangling cord. An unlocked cabinet. A climbable dresser. A tiny object hiding under the sofa. Childproofing your home means looking at familiar rooms from a very different point of view. Whether you have young children of your own or little ones who visit, these surprisingly simple changes can help make your home a safer place to explore.
- COVER UNUSED ELECTRICAL OUTLETS
Unused outlets are right at eye level for crawling babies and toddlers. Use child-resistant outlet covers or sliding safety plates that are difficult for little fingers to remove. Keep electrical cords tucked away as well. - GO CORDLESS AT THE WINDOWS
Window-covering cords can create a strangulation hazard. Cordless blinds and shades are the safest choice in homes where young children spend time. If older corded coverings remain in the home, make sure cords are secured and completely inaccessible to children.
- LOCK CABINETS AND DRAWERS
Install safety latches or locks anywhere children could reach medicines, cleaning products, laundry supplies, knives, scissors, matches, tools, or other potentially dangerous items. Child-resistant packaging helps, but it isn’t a substitute for keeping hazardous products locked away and out of reach. - MAKE THE STOVE HARDER TO EXPLORE
If stove controls are within a child’s reach, appropriate knob covers or control locks can help prevent curious hands from turning on a burner. Also use the range’s anti-tip bracket as intended, and whenever possible cook on back burners with pot handles turned away from the edge.
- USE THE RIGHT SAFETY GATES
Safety gates can block stairs and rooms that aren’t ready for exploration. At the top of stairs, use a gate designed and securely mounted for that location rather than a pressure-mounted gate. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully and make sure the gate is appropriate for the opening and child’s age. - ANCHOR FURNITURE AND TVs
Dressers, bookcases, televisions, and other heavy or top-heavy furnishings can tip if a child climbs or pulls on them. Secure furniture and TVs using appropriate anti-tip devices, and don’t place tempting toys, remotes, or other objects where they may encourage climbing. - SOFTEN SHARP CORNERS
Take a look around at toddler height. Coffee tables, fireplace hearths, countertops, and other hard edges can be right where a child’s head is likely to meet them. Corner guards or edge bumpers can help soften the impact.
- DON’T RELY ON WINDOW SCREENS
Window screens are designed to keep insects out—not children in. Use properly installed window guards or stops where appropriate; the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends stops that limit openings to four inches or less. Keep climbable furniture away from windows, and make sure safety devices don’t interfere with an emergency escape route. - KEEP THE BATHROOM SECURE
Toilet locks can keep curious toddlers out of the toilet, but remember that young children can drown in very small amounts of water. Never leave a young child unattended in a bathtub, and empty buckets, tubs, or other containers after use. - CREATE A BUFFER AROUND FIREPLACES
Fireplace hearths can have hard edges, while fireplace doors and surrounding surfaces can become dangerously hot. Use appropriate barriers or padding and keep children a safe distance from fireplaces, woodstoves, and other heat sources.
- CONTROL ACCESS TO OFF-LIMIT ROOMS
Doorknob covers, lever locks, or other child-resistant devices can help keep young children away from rooms or closets containing hazards. Just be sure adults can operate them quickly when needed and that they don’t create an obstacle to emergency escape. - GET DOWN TO THEIR LEVEL
One of the easiest ways to spot hazards is to see the room the way a child does. Get down on the floor and look for coins, balloons, toy pieces, pen caps, hard or round foods, and other small objects that could become choking hazards. Foods such as grapes and hot dogs should be prepared in age-appropriate shapes and sizes rather than served whole. Parents and caregivers should also learn recognized first aid for choking and CPR.
- STOP RUGS FROM SLIDING
Loose rugs can become slip-and-fall hazards for children and adults alike. Use non-slip pads or appropriate rug grips, and check them periodically to make sure rugs remain secure. - SECURE LARGE APPLIANCES
Depending on the appliance and its design, appropriate child-resistant locks can help prevent access to refrigerators, dishwashers, ovens, and other appliances. Ranges should also be properly installed with anti-tip protection. Follow the appliance manufacturer’s safety instructions rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all device.
- CHECK SMOKE AND CARBON MONOXIDE ALARMS
Smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms are essential home-safety equipment. Follow current local requirements and manufacturer instructions for placement, testing, maintenance, and replacement. The CPSC recommends smoke alarms on every level, outside sleeping areas, and inside bedrooms; CO alarms should be installed on each level and outside sleeping areas. Test alarms regularly so you know they’re ready when needed. - TURN DOWN THE SCALDING RISK
Hot tap water can burn a child surprisingly quickly. The CPSC recommends setting the water heater to 120°F or lower. Anti-scald devices on faucets and showerheads can provide additional protection, and an adult should always check bathwater before a child gets in.
- LOCK UP MEDICINES AND HOUSEHOLD CHEMICALS
Keep medicines, vitamins, cleaning products, laundry products, pesticides, alcohol, and other potentially harmful substances in their original containers, locked away, and out of children’s sight and reach. Don’t assume a child-resistant cap means a product is childproof. - BLOCK ACCESS TO HOT SURFACES
Radiators, space heaters, baseboard heaters, fireplace glass, and other surfaces may become hot enough to cause burns. Use appropriate barriers and maintain the clearances recommended by the manufacturer.
- MAKE THE TRASH HARD TO REACH
A trash can may contain sharp objects, spoiled food, discarded batteries, medication, cleaning products, or other hazards. Use a child-resistant lid or keep the container behind a secured cabinet door. The same idea applies to purses, backpacks, and overnight bags, which may contain medicines or other items a child shouldn’t find. - WATCH FOR BUTTON BATTERIES AND SMALL MAGNETS
Small doesn’t always mean harmless. Button or lithium coin batteries can cause severe internal injury if swallowed, and high-powered magnets can also be extremely dangerous. Check remotes, key fobs, toys, greeting cards, and other household items to make sure battery compartments are secure, and keep loose batteries and small magnets completely out of children’s reach.
- SECURE FIREARMS, KNIVES, AND OTHER WEAPONS
Any firearm in a home with children should be securely stored so children cannot access it, following applicable laws and established firearm-safety guidance. Knives and other weapons should also be kept locked or otherwise inaccessible to children.
Here’s perhaps the most important thing to remember: childproofing changes as children do. The drawer they couldn’t reach last month may be easy to open today. The chair they ignored yesterday may become tomorrow’s ladder. Take another look around whenever a child reaches a new stage of crawling, walking, climbing, or exploring.
No safety product replaces attentive adult supervision, but a few thoughtful changes can remove hazards before curiosity finds them. Sometimes the best way to make a home safer is simply to see it through much smaller eyes.
IMPORTANT SAFETY RESOURCES
Poison Control
1-800-222-1222
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission — Childproofing Your Home