Fall Prevention and Home Safety for Seniors in Illinois

Falls Are the Leading Cause of Injury Death for Illinois Seniors

One in four Americans aged 65 and older falls each year, and in Illinois, falls are the number one cause of injury-related hospitalization and death among seniors. A hip fracture from a fall carries a 20% to 30% mortality rate within twelve months for adults over 75 — not from the fracture itself, but from the cascade of complications (pneumonia, blood clots, deconditioning) that follows surgery and immobilization.

The good news: most falls at home are preventable with the right modifications and monitoring. And several Illinois programs cover the cost.

The Five Most Dangerous Spots in Your Parent's Home

Bathroom. Wet tile floors, low toilet seats that require significant leg strength to stand from, and bathtubs with high walls to step over make bathrooms a frequent fall-risk area.

Stairs. Missing or loose handrails, worn carpet on treads, poor lighting, and carrying objects while climbing. If your parent has any mobility limitation, stairs are the single highest daily risk.

Kitchen. Reaching for high cabinets while standing on a stool, wet floors near the sink, loose area rugs in front of the stove, poor lighting over the countertop.

Bedroom. Getting out of bed at night to use the bathroom without adequate lighting, loose bedside rugs, bed height that is too low (requiring significant effort to stand) or too high (creating a drop).

Entryways and transitions. Uneven thresholds between rooms, exterior steps without railings, icy walkways in winter, poor outdoor lighting.

Essential Modifications

Grab bars. The single most effective fall-prevention device. Install them next to the toilet (both sides), inside the shower or tub (vertical bar for entry, horizontal bar for seated balance), and at the top and bottom of stairs. Professional installation costs vary by location and mounting conditions, so get a current quote. The Illinois Care Connections program may provide safety aids at no cost to eligible seniors (age 60+, referred through the CCU); confirm available equipment with the CCU.

Raised toilet seat. Adds 3–5 inches of height, reducing the leg strength needed to sit and stand. Models with integrated arms provide additional stability. Prices vary by model and supplier.

Shower chair or transfer bench. Eliminates the need to stand for the duration of a shower, reducing the risk of a wet-floor fall. A transfer bench spans the tub wall so your parent can sit down outside the tub and slide in, avoiding the dangerous step-over.

Stair modifications. Add a second handrail on any staircase (both sides), install non-slip treads on each step, and add motion-activated lighting in the stairwell. For seniors who cannot safely use stairs at all, a stair lift or a first-floor bedroom conversion may be necessary; get a current local quote.

Lighting upgrades. Nightlights along the path from bedroom to bathroom, motion-activated under-cabinet lighting in the kitchen, and brighter bulbs in hallways and stairwells. Poor vision and dim lighting together account for a significant share of nighttime falls.

Remove tripping hazards. Loose area rugs (remove or secure with double-sided tape), extension cords across walkways, clutter on floors, and low furniture that is hard to see in dim light.

Illinois Programs That Cover Modifications

Care Connections (ICC). The IDoA's assistive technology program lends mobility and safety aids and other devices at no cost to seniors aged 60 and older. The referral comes through the Care Coordination Unit.

Community Care Program (CCP). The CCP care plan can address home-safety needs, but the program offers limited modification support. More extensive modifications (wheelchair ramps, roll-in showers) are generally outside CCP's scope and may need referral to other programs.

Home Services Program (HSP). Administered by the Department of Human Services for individuals under 60 with disabilities, the HSP covers extensive home modifications — ramps, bathroom renovations, widened doorways — as part of the care plan. Eligibility rules and exceptions depend on the person's program status; confirm them with IDHS-DRS.

Municipal programs. Local housing authorities and county human-services offices may have home-modification programs, but availability and funding cycles vary. Contact your local Area Agency on Aging and confirm whether applications are open or a program is waitlisted.

The Home Safety Assessment

If your parent is enrolling in the Community Care Program, ask the CCU care coordinator how home-safety needs will be assessed and recorded in the care plan. The available assessment and modification support depend on the program and local resources.

You can also ask the Area Agency on Aging whether it offers or can refer you to a standalone home safety assessment, even if your parent is not enrolling in CCP. Availability and cost vary by local program.

After a fall (especially one requiring an ER visit or hospitalization), a home safety assessment should happen before the parent returns home — not after. The Illinois home care guide includes a room-by-room home safety checklist designed to identify and prioritize the modifications that will have the highest impact on fall prevention.

See more Illinois guides →