5 things you can fix in your parent's house this weekend

Occupational therapists spend a lot of time on home modification, and families often assume that means renovation. It usually does not. Here are five changes that take an afternoon and remove real risk.

1. The rug at the front door

Throw rugs are involved in a startling share of falls, and the one by the entry is the worst because it gets stepped on by someone carrying groceries, wearing outdoor shoes, in the dark. Remove it or tape it down completely. There is no third option.

2. The path from the bed to the bathroom

Walk it at two in the morning with the lights off, the way your parent does. Then put a motion-activated night light every place you hesitated. This is the single highest-yield change on the list.

3. Whatever is on the stairs

Everyone stacks things on the bottom three steps to carry up later. Later never comes and the pile becomes furniture. Clear it and keep it clear.

4. The top shelf in the kitchen

If the everyday plates or the coffee are above shoulder height, someone is climbing on something to reach them. Move daily items to waist and shoulder level and put the rarely used things up high.

5. The chair they actually sit in

Watch them stand up from it. If they rock forward twice to build momentum, the seat is too low or too soft. A firmer cushion often solves in ten dollars what a family has been worrying about for a year.

If more than two of these are a problem, it is worth having a therapist look at the whole house. That evaluation is covered under Medicare Part B and does not require a referral to schedule.