Adding grab bars near the bathtub and toilet, using nonskid mats, and using night-lights can make your home safer and help prevent falls. Organizing your home so that walkways are free of clutter and making sure that furniture fits your build can also help. Letting others know that you have episodes of vertigo will help them know how to help you if they are with you during an attack.

If you experience ongoing bouts of vertigo, no matter what the cause, you have a greater risk of falling and hurting yourself.

Making changes in your environment and lifestyle will help eliminate some of the risks involved with vertigo. Keeping your home free of protruding and sharp objects, having support close by in case of a fall, and letting others know of your condition can help you avoid injury.

Keeping your home environment organized will also give you increased confidence in moving around within your home.

You can make your home safer by:

• Eliminating throw rugs and using nonskid mats.
• Installing grab bars near the bathtub and toilet.
• Using night-lights.
• Keeping floors dry to prevent slipping.
• Storing household items on low shelves to eliminate the need to climb or reach high. If climbing is essential, use a step stool with handrails.
• Keeping driveways, sidewalks, and interior walkways clear of anything that might cause you to trip.

Personal tips that can help prevent injury during an episode of vertigo include:

• Avoid driving or working at heights.
• Wear shoes with low heels and nonslip soles.
• Keep your shoes tied.
• Alert family and friends to your condition and how they can help during an attack of vertigo.
• Know whether medications you take can affect your sense of balance.

Print out the following safety checklists, write the date on each one, and check all items that you can. Do this once a month to see how you are progressing with making your home environment safe. Try to get all items checked.

• This list of items can help you prepare for an episode of vertigo, such as by making sure someone else knows about your vertigo and avoiding driving when having an episode: checklist for personal considerations(What is a PDF document?).
• This list can help you keep your home free from clutter and obstacles that could cause you to fall during an episode of vertigo: checklist for the home environment.(What is a PDF document?)
• This list can help prevent injuries in the bathroom and kitchen: checklist for the bathroom and kitchen(What is a PDF document?).

Whether your vertigo is infrequent and mild or frequent and severe, it does have an impact on your life. These safety precautions and checklists will help make living with vertigo safer.

Depending on what is causing your vertigo, there may be steps you can take to reduce your episodes of vertigo. Talk to your health professional about a plan suited to your needs.

More information about vertigo can be found in the following topics:

• Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)
• Ménière's Disease
• Dizziness: Lightheadedness and Vertigo
• Labyrinthitis
• Vestibular Neuronitis