This is the first of a series on Aging in Place where I'll deal with Falls and Falls Prevention; Home Safety and Defense; Alarms and Alerts and more. Falls are the most common cause of injuries among older adults. Prevention is paramount in keeping you or your loved one safe. This video series is designed for the senior viewer and for those who are care takers of the aging adult. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Topics covered: Make sure walking surfaces are slip resistant‚ flat‚ free of objects and in good condition.  Place safety strips on inside stair steps to help prevent slipping. Remove throw rugs from the home as they can be a trip hazard. Install handrails on both sides of stairs or check that existing handrails are appropriately secured to the wall. Arrange furniture in the home to allow a clear pathway for walking. Make sure sidewalks‚ paths and the driveway are level‚ free of holes and in good condition. In the bathroom‚ use slip-resistant strips or a nonslip bath mat in the tub or shower to prevent falls. Mark the top and bottom stair steps with colored tape or paint to make them easier to see. Install grab bars in the tub or shower area and by the toilet to help with safe transfers. Walk through your house at night with lights off. Count the steps: 1st floor to 2nd‚ across rooms‚ bedroom to bathroom. Apply nonslip wax on floors. Place a waterproof seat or chair in the shower. Put nonskid treads on steps. Remove wheels on chairs. Replace toilet with a raised or high-profile toilet. Use rubber-backed bathmats. Alter the shower for walk-in rather than step-over entry. Create zero-threshold entryways. Tighten Loose Railings. Whether or not someone is prone to falls or not‚ a loose railing can result in serious injury. Be sure all hardware is fastened tightly so that when someone leans on the railing‚ it is sturdy and does not fail. De-clutter. Clutter can cause trips and falls. Clear floors and stairs of any objects that can easily be tripped over. Secure rugs. If there are area or throw rugs in the home be sure they are secured so that no one will slide or trip. There are rug fasteners you can buy at any hardware store to keep rugs in place. It’s a simple measure that can go a long way when it comes to safety. Check bathroom safety. Many slips and falls can occur in the bathroom. You can prevent these by installing grab bars near the toilet and in the shower as well as bathmats on the shower floor. Buy a grabber. If you’re living alone and need to grab something out of reach‚ don’t try to stand on a chair or ladder. Rather buy a reacher that you can use to grab items. Better yet‚ try to keep everything you need on a daily basis in arm’s length. This will prevent any accidents as you try to get something that isn’t close by.