7 Questions Every Adult Child Should Ask Before Assuming It's Still Safe for a Parent to Live Alone
Answer honestly — there's no wrong answer, and no one else sees your results. Falls are the single biggest hidden risk when it comes to living alone, so this one leans into that. Use it as a starting point for your own thinking, not a diagnosis.
This isn't a diagnosis. It's a starting point to help you think through what you're noticing, in plain language. If you're concerned about your parent, the best next step is always a conversation with their doctor.
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How old is your parent?
This helps us put your answers in context — fall risk naturally rises with age, so it's part of the full picture.
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Who's at home with them?
This matters a lot for fall risk — someone living entirely alone has no one around to notice a close call or help if something goes wrong.
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Suggested next steps
Home safety basics that help almost every family
Grab bars by the toilet and in the shower or tub — worth having even if things feel fine today.
A non-slip mat or strips in the shower or tub.
Bright, even lighting in hallways, stairwells, and entryways — poor lighting is one of the easiest fixes with the biggest payoff.
Loose rugs taped down or removed, walkways decluttered, and cords tucked well out of the way.
Handrails on both sides of any staircase.
A sturdy chair or bench in the shower if standing for long stretches feels tiring.
Supportive, grippy shoes or slippers around the house — skip the floppy, backless ones — and a current eyeglasses prescription, since poor vision makes every other hazard worse.
A fall-detection wearable, like an Apple Watch or a medical alert pendant, that can sense a hard fall and automatically call or text a loved one if they don't respond.
These are simple, low-cost changes that make sense for almost any home, at any result level — they don't require a diagnosis to be worth doing.
Please remember: this quiz is for informational purposes only and is not a medical recommendation — it does not diagnose a fall risk condition or any other condition. Only a qualified healthcare professional can evaluate your parent's health. If you're seeing sudden or severe changes, don't wait — talk to a doctor now.