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Minute Tips / Independence and home safety

Minute Tip · Independence and home safety

Fix one hazard at home

One small fix is a real start.

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The tip

CDC has a checklist of common hazards at home, with a fix for each. You do not have to do the whole list.

Pick one room. Look at the floor first. Is there a loose rug? Tape it down or take it up. Is there a cord across a walkway? Coil it or tape it along the wall.

Then look at the light. Is the path from your bed to the bathroom dark? A nightlight is an easy fix.

Ask someone to help with anything high, heavy, or electrical. Fix one thing today.

The claim behind this tip

Moderate evidence CDC's Check for Safety checklist lists common home hazards on stairs, floors, in the kitchen, bedrooms, and bathrooms, with a recommended fix for each.

Supportive guidance exists, with more limits or less consistency than a strong rating. Source-checked on . This rating is proposed, pending confirmation by a person. No clinician has reviewed this page.

Limits: We checked what CDC's document lists. We did not review studies on how much each fix helps. It is a checklist of common hazards, not a full home assessment.

Limits: It lists common hazards, not a full home assessment. We did not review studies on how much each fix helps. General education, not medical advice.

Try it today

Find and fix one home hazard. Walk through one room with the CDC home checklist in mind, pick one hazard, and fix it or ask someone to help you fix it. About 10 minutes.

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