Fall risk is simply the chance that a person will lose their balance and fall, based on things like vision, strength, medications, and the home environment itself. For older adults living at home, most of that risk isn't about the person's health alone — it's about small, fixable details in the rooms they walk through every day. This guide focuses on four of those details: lighting, rugs and flooring, footwear, and mobility aids, using guidance from the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and MedlinePlus, a service of the National Library of Medicine.
This is general education, not a home safety inspection or a substitute for advice from a doctor or physical therapist who knows the person's specific health history.
When to Get Help Right Away
If someone has already fallen and cannot get up, hit their head, is confused, or has new hip or back pain after a fall, call local emergency services. Do not wait to see if symptoms improve, and do not try to move someone who may have a head or spine injury. The guidance below is for reducing fall risk before a fall happens — it is not a plan for responding to an injury.
Myth vs. Reality: Fall Risk at Home
- Myth: A rug is only a hazard if it's visibly torn or bunched up. Reality: MedlinePlus flags loose throw rugs and uneven flooring in doorways as fall hazards, separate from any visible damage.
- Myth: Any pair of shoes with a good grip is fine indoors. Reality: MedlinePlus specifically recommends shoes with low heels that fit well and have rubber soles — not just any shoe with traction.
- Myth: Using a cane or walker is a last resort after a fall has already happened. Reality: NIA lists using a cane or walker for added stability as a proactive prevention step, and MedlinePlus recommends discussing assistive devices with a provider before a fall happens, not only after one.
Lighting Changes Worth Discussing
MedlinePlus advises having good lighting especially along the path from the bedroom to the bathroom, inside the bathroom itself, and on any stairs — these are the specific spots called out because they combine low light with nighttime trips and hard surfaces. NIA's fall-prevention guidance adds a simple, low-cost step: using night lights so hallways and bathrooms aren't dark when someone gets up during the night.
- Path from bedroom to bathroom, lit well enough to see the floor clearly
- Night lights in hallways, bathrooms, and near the bed
- Stairwells lit at both the top and bottom, not just one end
Rugs and Flooring Worth a Second Look
MedlinePlus lists three specific flooring hazards to address: loose throw rugs, uneven flooring in doorways, and loose wires or cords running through walking paths. NIA's guidance adds that carpet should be secured to the floor rather than left loose at the edges. None of this requires replacing flooring — it's about removing or securing what's already there.
- Loose throw rugs removed, or secured flat with non-slip tape or backing
- Cords and wires routed away from walking paths, not taped across them
- Doorway transitions checked for uneven height between rooms
Footwear Details That Matter
MedlinePlus is specific here: shoes should have low heels, fit well, and have rubber soles, since rubber soles help reduce slipping. This applies indoors as much as outdoors — walking around the house in loose slippers or socks removes the grip and fit that supportive shoes provide.
- Low heel, snug fit — not slipping at the back of the foot
- Rubber or non-slip sole rather than a smooth or worn sole
- Worn consistently at home, not just when leaving the house
Mobility Notes: Aids, Medications, and Strength
NIA's guidance lists using a cane or walker for added stability as one of several fall-prevention steps, and MedlinePlus recommends asking a provider about assistive devices, noting that a walker can include a small basket for carrying items like a phone, or a built-in seat for resting mid-walk. Both sources also point to two factors people don't always connect to falls: medications and strength.
MedlinePlus recommends asking a provider whether any current medications can cause dizziness, since a provider may be able to adjust a medication to reduce that risk. It also suggests asking about a physical therapy referral to build the strength and balance needed to get up and walk more safely, and recommends practicing rising slowly from a seated position while holding something stable. Anyone reviewing medications for dizziness should do that conversation with the prescribing provider — this article isn't guidance to start, stop, or change any medication.
For readers tracking medications across multiple caregivers or appointments, Caregiver Medication Lists: A Shared Record for Appointments and Emergencies covers how to keep that information organized so a dizziness conversation with a provider has the full picture. For background on the strength changes that make mobility aids and PT referrals relevant in the first place, see Age-Related Muscle Loss and Sarcopenia: The Biology Behind Muscle Wasting in Aging.
What This Guidance Does and Doesn't Establish
NIA and MedlinePlus both describe these steps as general fall-prevention guidance for older adults, based on common, well-documented risk factors. Neither source claims that making these changes will prevent every fall, and neither source recommends a specific brand of rug tape, shoe, or mobility device. Whether a particular mobility aid, footwear style, or medication adjustment is appropriate for a specific person is a decision for that person and their own doctor or physical therapist, not something a general article can determine.
A Worksheet for the Next Care Conversation
These questions are meant to be brought to a doctor, physical therapist, or home health provider — not answered alone:
- Which rooms in this home have the least reliable lighting at night, and would night lights help there?
- Are there any rugs, cords, or uneven thresholds in daily walking paths that should be removed or secured?
- Do the shoes worn most often at home have low heels, a good fit, and rubber soles?
- Would a cane, walker, or other mobility aid help with stability right now, or is it worth revisiting later?
- Are any current medications known to cause dizziness, and is there a safer alternative?
- Would a physical therapy referral for strength and balance be appropriate?
About This Article
This article is general educational information, not medical advice, a diagnosis, or a home safety inspection. It does not recommend any specific product, brand, service, or treatment, and it is not a substitute for an assessment by a qualified doctor, physical therapist, or occupational therapist familiar with an individual's health history. Always consult a healthcare provider before making changes based on medication concerns, and contact local emergency services for any injury after a fall.
By MercyAssistedCare.org Care Team. Updated September 17, 2026.
Sources: National Institute on Aging, “Six Tips To Help Prevent Falls” (nia.nih.gov); MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, “Preventing falls” (medlineplus.gov), a service of the National Library of Medicine.