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More home improvement tips for seniors. Related Videos: Common Household Accidents | HealthiNation http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oHJC9e9eIA Emergency First Aid Kit | HealthiNation http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PEufo0x0_A Home Safety for Seniors (Part 1 of 2) | HealthiNation http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjILelkaKGs Home Safety for Seniors (Part 2 of 2) | HealthiNation http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Suy8F0GSNUk TRANSCRIPT: The Kitchen Make sure everything in the kitchen is within easy reach. You don't want to have to use a step stool or a ladder, which means you may have a little rearranging to do in your cabinets. Put all of your loved one's important information on a piece of paper on the refridgerator: this should include their name, any medications they're taking, any allergies, and the contact information for their doctors and family members. Make sure to keep it up-to-date. Consider raising the front of the refrigerator 1/4 inch so the door closes automatically. Other Tips Make sure staircases have hand rails on at least one side. Keep flashlights throughout the house, especially close to the bed. Program your phones so that emergency numbers only require one-button dialing. Replace doorknobs with lever handles so you don't have to grip and turn the knob to open the door. Make sure that your water heaters thermostat is kept at no more than 120 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent scalding. Consider putting a ramp at places like the garage or the front door to make it easier to get in and out. Depending on your house, your budget and your own situation, you can make your home comfortable and safe for years to come. Sources: Fall Prevention: Six ways to reduce your falling risk. Rochester, MN.: Mayo Clinic, 2008. (Accessed October 19, 2009 at http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/fall-prevention/HQ00657.) Home Safety Checklist. Atlanta, GA.: National Center For Injury Prevention and Control. (Accessed October 19, 2009 at http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/falls/FallPrev4.pdf.)