Home safety checklist for an aging parent, room by room

If you're visiting a parent this holiday season, a 20-minute walk-through catches most of the common hazards. Here's the short version, room by room:

Entry and stairs: steady handrails on both sides, light switches at the top and bottom, nothing stored on steps, and a clear, lit path from the car to the door.

Living areas: loose rugs taped down or removed, cords out of walkways, furniture arranged so there's a clear path, and a phone reachable from the favourite chair.

Bathroom: grab bars by the toilet and in the shower (towel bars aren't built to hold weight), a non-slip mat, and a night light between the bed and the bathroom.

Kitchen: everyday items at waist-to-shoulder height so no step stool is needed, and a working smoke alarm nearby.

Bedroom: a lamp reachable from the bed, a clear path to the door, and a working smoke alarm. Test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms while you're there.

The part people skip is follow-up: write down what needs fixing, who's doing it and when, then check again a month later. That's what we built RoomMend for: a room-by-room checklist and fix list for your home or a parent's, with walkthroughs based on public guidance from the CDC, National Institute on Aging, NFPA and CPSC, 30-day look-again reminders, and a room PDF you can share with siblings.

What's the fix you found that you'd never have thought of?