Home safety checklist for aging parents

Most adult children start thinking about a parent's home safety after a scare: a fall, a pot left on the stove, a phone call from a stranger asking for gift cards. This checklist is meant to be used before the scare. Print it, walk the house with your parent, and tick off what is already done.

One rule before you start: do this with your parent, not to them. Changes they agree with get used. Changes imposed on them get unplugged.

Falls: the entrance, stairs and bathroom

• The path from the driveway to the door is lit at night, ideally by a light that turns on by itself.
• There is a solid handrail on both sides of every staircase, including basement stairs.
• Stairs have a light switch at the top and the bottom.
• Loose rugs are gone or held down with non-slip backing.
• There is a grab bar by the toilet and in the shower or tub. Towel bars are not grab bars.
• Night lights mark the route from the bed to the bathroom.
• Frequently used items in the kitchen are between waist and shoulder height, so no step stool is needed.

Fire and carbon monoxide

• There is a working smoke alarm on every storey and outside every sleeping area. This is the law in Ontario, per the Office of the Fire Marshal.
• Each smoke alarm is less than 10 years old. The manufacture date is printed on the back.
• If the home has a gas furnace, gas stove, fireplace or attached garage, there are CO alarms outside sleeping areas, and, since January 1, 2026, on every storey. See our smoke and CO rules guide.
• Your parent can hear the alarm from their bedroom with the door closed. Many older adults cannot hear high-pitched alarms well; strobe and low-frequency alarms exist for this.
• There is a plan for getting out. The Ontario fire safety guidance specifically recommends deciding in advance who will help older adults escape.
• Someone outside the house gets an alert if a smoke or CO alarm goes off when your parent is alone.

Kitchen

• Your parent stays in the kitchen while cooking on the stovetop. Unattended cooking is a leading cause of home fires in Ontario.
• A pot lid that fits is kept beside the stove for smothering a pan fire.
• If memory is a concern, consider an automatic stove shut-off device installed by a qualified person.

Doors, keys and visitors

• There is no key hidden under the mat or in a planter. A keypad lock or a lockbox is safer and lets family or paramedics get in.
• Your parent can see who is at the door without opening it, through a peephole, window or video doorbell.
• They know they never have to let in someone they were not expecting, even if the person says they are from a utility, the city or a bank.
• Caregivers and cleaners have their own codes, not a copy of the family key.

Phone and online scams

• Your parent knows the common scripts: a grandchild "in jail" needing bail, a "bank investigator" asking them to move money, a demand for gift cards. The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre keeps an up-to-date list.
• There is an agreed family rule: any request for money gets a call back to a number already in their phone, not the number the caller gives.
• Their email, banking and phone accounts have strong, unique passwords. Get Cyber Safe from the Government of Canada has simple guides.

Health and emergencies

• An up-to-date list of medications, allergies, doctors and emergency contacts is on the fridge, where paramedics look for it.
• Your parent has a way to call for help if they fall and cannot reach a phone, such as a wearable button.
• A family member has a daily check-in routine: a call, a message or a simple alert if your parent has not moved through the house by a certain time.
• Medications are stored in one place and organised by day.

When you are not nearby

Many families in the GTA have a parent living alone across town or in another city. Technology helps here, but only if it is simple. The setups that work best for older adults usually have three parts: smoke and CO alarms that notify family, a help button they actually wear, and a door that family can open without a hidden key. Cameras inside a parent's home are a personal decision and should never go in without their clear agreement.

Programs and help in Ontario

The Ontario government publishes a guide to programs and services for seniors covering home care, housing, health and financial supports. It is worth reading together with your parent before you need it.

If you would like a second set of eyes, our Home Safety Score takes about two minutes and includes questions specifically about older adults living at home.

More guides

• What to do after a break-in in Ontario
• Smoke and CO alarm rules in Ontario
• Security tips for new homeowners

This guide is general information, not legal or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.