As a caregiver, there are some general things you can do to make your home safer. Check for the following:

__ Emergency numbers and home's address are posted by each telephone.

__ Telephones are located in each room and can be reached from the floor in case of a fall.

__ Inside and outside door handles and locks are easy to operate.

__ Doors have lever-action handles instead of round knobs.

__ Door thresholds are low and beveled or there are no thresholds at all.

__ Windows open easily from the inside but have a secure locking system to prevent entry from the outside.

__ The water heater thermostat is set at 120 degrees F or lower to prevent accidental scalding.

__ Medications are stored in a safe place according to instructions on the package or container label.

__ Carpeting and rugs are not worn or torn.

__ Small, loose rugs have nonskid backing and are not in traffic areas of the home.

__ Appliances, lamps, and cords are clean and in good condition.

__ There are no exposed, glaring bulbs in lamps or fixtures.

__ All electrical equipment bears the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) label.

__ Outlets are located where they are needed in every room.

__ Electrical overload protection is provided by circuit breakers, fuses, or ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCI). CFCI's prevent electrical shock and are particularly important in areas where water is used (such as kitchens, bathrooms, and outdoors).

__ Electrical service has enough capacity to serve the house and is up to code.

__ Extension cords do not carry more that their proper load as indicated on the cord or appliance.

__ Electrical cords are placed out of the flow of traffic and out from underneath rugs and furniture.

__ Smoke alarms are present in the home and are in working order. One way to help you remember to change the batteries is to replace them on your birthday. Don't forget to mark it on your calendar.