Safety: Falls, Driving, Wandering & Scams

Fall prevention: Simple high-impact changes

• Remove throw rugs, runners, and loose cords across hallways.
• Install grab bars (screwed into wall studs, never suction cups) inside the shower and beside the toilet.
• Add motion-activated nightlights between the bed and bathroom.
• Place a shower bench and handheld shower sprayer to eliminate standing while bathing.

Driving retirement: How to transition gracefully

Giving up car keys feels like losing adulthood.

• Have their primary care doctor or an occupational therapy driving evaluator write an official medical recommendation to stop driving. Most people are far more likely to accept a doctor's order than a family member's demand.
• Set up alternative transportation beforehand (Uber/Lyft family profile, local volunteer senior shuttles, church rides).
• Disable or sell the car if cognitive decline causes them to forget their driving restriction.

Elder financial abuse & scam warnings

Older adults are frequent targets of scams and financial exploitation.

• Watch for: Sudden checks made out to cash, wire transfers to overseas lotteries, a new "helpful friend" who isolates them, or unpaid utility bills when money was previously ample.
• Put freeze on three credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion).
• Report elder abuse immediately to Adult Protective Services (APS) in your loved one's county.