We had an Occupational Therapist from our dad’s rehab center come to our parents' home to recommend specific changes to the house.  He suggested most of the items listed below, but he also checked doorways to see that our dad’s wheelchair could fit through it, checked to see if the wheelchair could get in and out of the house, recommended that we rent a hospital bed with a trapeze bar, which would help Dad pull himself up in bed.  Having the Occupational Therapist make personalized recommendations gave us more confidence in our ability to care for our dad at home. 

Here are some more ideas from the Family Caregiver Handbook (PDF) by the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services about making your home safer.  

Here are some changes you can make to reduce fall hazards in the home:

• Remove clutter from halls and stairs
• Remove or secure throw rugs
  
• Keep floors dry and in good repair
• Use night lights in bedrooms, bathrooms, and hallways
• All rooms should have good lighting, especially hallways and stairs
• Stairs should have a strong handrail
• Vary the colors at floor level so you can see where steps and edges are
• Keep the most-used items on lower cabinet shelves
• Use handrails in tubs and next to toilets
• Use safety toilet seats to make standing and sitting easier
• Use mats in showers and tubs