Home Safety Checklist

This Home Safety Checklist worksheet from the National Institute on Aging (NIA), part of the National Institutes of Health, gives caregivers a practical, room-by-room tool for identifying and fixing hazards in a loved one’s home — with particular attention to the needs of people living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. It turns the vague worry of “is the home safe?” into a concrete, actionable list.

The checklist walks through the home systematically, prompting caregivers to look for and address common dangers: fall hazards like loose rugs, clutter, and poor lighting; risks in the kitchen and bathroom; fire and burn hazards; poisoning risks from medications and cleaning products; and the need to secure potentially dangerous items. For people with dementia, it also addresses wandering and the importance of safe, simplified environments. Because it comes from a trusted federal health authority, the guidance is reliable and evidence-informed.

This resource matters because falls and home accidents are leading causes of injury among older adults, and most are preventable with simple modifications — yet caregivers often don’t know what to look for. A structured checklist ensures nothing important is overlooked and gives caregivers confidence that they’ve addressed the key risks. For families working to make a home safer, especially for someone with cognitive change, the NIA checklist is an authoritative, free starting point available to download at nia.nih.gov.