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Home Safety Check for Home Care: Reducing Electrical, Gas, Fire and Fall Risks
How to make a home safe for a patient or older person: electrical and device safety, gas and stoves, fire precautions, fall risk and a room-by-room checklist.
For a home care patient or older person, home is both the living space and the care setting. Its risks differ from hospital: old wiring, gas leaks, stoves and heaters, slippery floors, poor lighting and misuse of medical devices can cause serious accidents. A regular safety check identifies most of these in advance.
| Electrical check | Why |
|---|---|
| Earthed sockets | Safety for oxygen concentrators, hospital beds and other devices |
| Power strips and extension leads | Overload raises fire risk; plug medical devices directly into sockets where possible |
| Cable condition | Replace crushed or frayed cables |
| Cable routing | Away from walkways, secured against trips |
| Residual current device | Protection against shock (ask an electrician if missing) |
| Heaters | Away from beds, curtains and blankets; not left on overnight |
Gas, stoves and heaters
Have gas appliances (boilers, hobs, water heaters) serviced regularly by authorised technicians, fit a carbon monoxide detector, especially with stoves and water heaters, check flues, keep stoves away from beds, consider knob locks or auto shut-off hobs for people with memory problems, and if you smell gas, open windows without touching switches, close the valve and call the emergency line.
Carbon monoxide poisoning starts with headache, dizziness, nausea and drowsiness and is a silent danger; if several people have symptoms, ventilate and call 112.
Fire safety
- Smoke detectors on every floor, especially near the patient's room, tested monthly.
- An accessible fire extinguisher that everyone can use.
- No smoking or open flames where oxygen is used.
- A clear exit route from the patient's room.
- An agreed evacuation plan for bedridden patients.
| Area | Check |
|---|---|
| Entrance and corridors | Lighting, secured rugs, thresholds removed |
| Bedroom | Suitable bed height, night light, phone and water within reach |
| Bathroom | Non-slip mats, grab bars, shower stool, raised toilet seat |
| Kitchen | Everyday items within easy reach, spills wiped at once |
| Stairs | Sturdy rails on both sides, contrasting non-slip edges, switches at top and bottom |
| Living room | Clear walkways, padded table corners |
Medicines and chemicals
Store medicines in original packaging in a locked or high cupboard, keep cleaning products away from food and medicines, never mix cleaners, and secure chemicals and sharp tools in homes with people with dementia.
Hot water: older people and those with reduced sensation (diabetes, stroke) are prone to scalds; keep water heater settings moderate and test bath water with the elbow or a thermometer.
Doors: simple alarms for people at risk of wandering, a spare key with a trusted neighbour for emergencies and clearly visible house numbers.
When starting home care across Yalova we carry out a home safety assessment suited to the patient, advising on fall prevention, device placement and fire safety, with assessment visits in Bursa, Istanbul and Kocaeli–Gebze.
