Start with public guidance
These resources support our guides and can help you prepare questions for a healthcare professional. Linking to an organization does not imply endorsement of this website.
CDC · STEADI
Patient & caregiver resources
Free public brochures on home fall prevention, footwear, and conversations about falling.
NIH · National Institute on Aging
Preventing falls at home, room by room
Home hazards to discuss and check in bathrooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and on stairs.
Mayo Clinic
Fall prevention: simple tips
An overview of home changes and issues to discuss with a healthcare team.
NIH · National Institute on Aging
Growing older at home
Planning for everyday help, home safety, and changing care needs.
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Recalls & product safety
Check whether a household product or assistive device has a recall or safety notice.
Administration for Community Living
Eldercare Locator
A public service for locating support and services for older adults in the United States.
Understand the help you are asking for
A household checklist records what you notice. A healthcare appointment, home assessment, and repair visit serve different purposes. Describe the task first, then ask which type of help fits.
- Healthcare team
- Discuss falls, near-falls, and new difficulties with everyday movement. Ask whether an assessment or referral would help. Bring observations rather than trying to diagnose the cause yourself.
- Occupational therapist (OT)
- Ask about strategies for everyday tasks and using the home. Mayo Clinic suggests asking the healthcare team about an OT referral when additional fall-prevention strategies are needed.
- Physical therapist (PT)
- Mayo Clinic describes a PT as someone the care team may recommend for an exercise program tailored to balance, flexibility, and strength. A home checklist does not prescribe that program.
- Qualified installer or repair professional
- Ask what inspection, mounting, repair, and written instructions the job includes. Before booking, clarify the scope, qualifications for the work, and who handles follow-up.
For the OT and PT roles above, see Mayo Clinic’s fall prevention guidance. For a fuller booking checklist, use our home safety assessment guide.
Bring a useful question to the appointment
Write down the room, route, or task your parent finds difficult; when it happens; any falls or near-falls; and what has changed. Ask whether a home assessment, equipment fitting, or other professional help would be appropriate. A completed household checklist can organize the conversation, but it cannot provide a diagnosis.
Use the home checklist