You step onto a chair to reach something in the kitchen, hurry through the bathroom after a shower, or spend an afternoon working in the yard. These activities probably don’t seem particularly dangerous, especially if you’ve been doing them for decades. But for adults over 65, ordinary routines can sometimes lead to injuries serious enough to require emergency medical care.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, falls among adults ages 65 and older accounted for approximately 4.5 million emergency department visits and more than 43,000 deaths in 2024. Falls remain the leading cause of injury-related death among older Americans, but many common hazards can be reduced through relatively simple precautions. Here are seven situations worth paying closer attention to.
1. Climbing on Chairs to Reach High Cabinets
Reaching for a serving platter, changing a light bulb, or retrieving holiday decorations might seem like a harmless household chore. However, climbing onto chairs or unstable stools creates a fall hazard, particularly when someone must stretch, twist, or lean to reach an object. The National Institute on Aging (NIA) recommends keeping frequently used items within easy reach and avoiding standing on chairs or tables to retrieve objects.
Instead, use a long-handled reaching tool, rearrange cabinets, or ask someone to help with items stored overhead. A $15 reaching tool could be a worthwhile investment compared with the medical expenses and recovery time associated with a serious fall.
2. Getting In and Out of the Bathtub
Bathrooms are another place where ordinary routines can become dangerous, especially when wet surfaces and awkward movements are involved. Stepping over a bathtub wall requires balance, coordination, and enough leg strength to safely transfer weight from one foot to the other.
According to the NIA’s home safety recommendations, installing grab bars and nonslip surfaces can help reduce fall hazards around showers, bathtubs, and toilets. A properly installed grab bar provides more dependable support than a towel rack, which isn’t designed to hold someone’s body weight. If stepping into the bathtub has become uncomfortable or unsteady, a shower chair or professional home safety assessment may help identify safer options.
3. Carrying Laundry or Groceries Down the Stairs
Carrying a full laundry basket downstairs may not seem risky until the basket blocks your view of the next step. The same problem can occur when carrying grocery bags, storage boxes, or bulky household items between floors. It is recommended that you keep stairways clear, maintain good lighting, and use secure handrails when navigating stairs.
Try having secure handrails on both sides of stairways and avoid carrying anything that blocks your view of the steps. For example, instead of hauling an overflowing laundry basket downstairs, divide the clothing into smaller loads or ask someone to help with bulky items. Keeping one hand available for the railing is more important than saving an extra trip.
You can also divide heavy loads into smaller portions that allow you to see where you’re stepping and keep a hand available for support. For households with multiple floors, keeping frequently used supplies on each level may eliminate some unnecessary trips altogether.
4. Taking Prescription and Over-the-Counter Medications
Taking daily medication is a normal part of life for many retirees, but medication-related complications can sometimes become medical emergencies. According to the CDC’s medication safety statistics, adults ages 65 and older make more than 600,000 emergency department visits annually because of adverse drug events.
The CDC says that blood thinners account for approximately 21% of emergency department visits involving adverse drug events, while diabetes medications account for about 14% and antibiotics for 13%. These emergencies can result from medication errors, but they can also involve harmful reactions to medications taken as directed. Older adults should ask their pharmacists about warning signs, potential interactions, and whether any prescriptions require additional monitoring.
5. Working Outside During Hot Weather
Gardening, mowing the lawn, and washing the car can become dangerous when temperatures climb, particularly for older adults managing chronic health conditions. Adults ages 65 and older are at increased risk for heat-related illness because aging can affect the body’s ability to respond to temperature changes. Certain medications and medical conditions can make it harder to stay hydrated or regulate body temperature effectively.
Schedule strenuous outdoor chores during cooler hours, take frequent breaks, and move into air conditioning when heat becomes uncomfortable. Confusion, fainting, or other signs of severe heat illness require urgent medical attention, and suspected heat stroke is a medical emergency.
6. Walking Across Cluttered Rooms or Loose Rugs
A throw rug near the kitchen sink or an extension cord stretched across the living room may seem like a minor inconvenience. However, these everyday obstacles can cause someone to trip, particularly when vision, balance, or reaction time has changed with age. The CDC’s fall prevention guidance recommends removing tripping hazards, improving household lighting, and installing appropriate safety features to reduce fall risks.
Walk through your home and look for curled rug corners, electrical cords, pet toys, and furniture that narrows commonly used pathways. Removing unnecessary rugs and securing loose carpeting are relatively inexpensive changes that may help prevent a costly injury.
7. Getting Up Too Quickly After Sitting or Sleeping
Standing up quickly after watching television or getting out of bed can occasionally cause dizziness or lightheadedness. One possible explanation is orthostatic hypotension, a drop in blood pressure that occurs when someone changes position from lying or sitting to standing. Blood pressure changes, medication effects, and balance problems are among the factors that can contribute to falls.
If you frequently feel dizzy when standing, discuss the symptoms with a healthcare professional rather than assuming they’re simply a normal part of aging. Rising gradually, sitting briefly at the edge of the bed, and ensuring you have stable support nearby may reduce the chance of losing your balance while the underlying cause is evaluated.
A Few Small Changes Could Prevent a Major Medical Bill
Understanding everyday activities that can send older adults to the emergency room isn’t about becoming afraid of normal routines or giving up independence. It’s about recognizing situations where simple adjustments can prevent injuries, reduce medical expenses, and help people remain active longer. More than one in four adults ages 65 and older experiences a fall each year, yet many never discuss those incidents with their doctors. Reviewing medications, improving lighting, removing household hazards, and asking for assistance with physically demanding tasks can all be practical steps toward safer daily living.
Editor’s Note: Before paying out of pocket for grab bars, improved lighting, or other home safety modifications, check whether local assistance is available. Some state and local governments offer home modification programs for older adults. You can contact the Eldercare Locator at 800-677-1116 to connect with your local Area Agency on Aging and ask about available assistance.
Which everyday household activity do you think poses the greatest risk for older adults, and have you made any changes at home to prevent accidents? Share your experiences in the comments.
What to Read Next
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