Why the night trip is the risky one
Falls are common and costly for people 65 and older. The CDC reports more than 43,000 deaths from falls in this age group in 2024 and about 4.5 million emergency department visits (CDC, page reviewed September 8, 2026). The same page says falls can be prevented. It does not split the numbers by room or time of day.
A 2020 study in the journal Gerontology says most falls happen at night and that about 60% of older people get up to use the toilet at least twice a night (Gerontology 2020, 66(3), see Sources).
Walk the route in the dark first
If you are there tonight, turn off the lights and stand beside the bed where your parent gets up. Walk to the toilet slowly. Notice where you cannot see the floor, where you reach for a wall, and what your feet touch. Write down every dark stretch, every object on the floor, and each spot where the floor changes, such as carpet to hall or hall to bathroom tile. Those are the places to fix first.
Light the path so no switch is needed
The MSD Manual's home checklist lists a night-light in the bedroom and in the bathroom, and a light within reach of the bed. Add one in the hallway between them.
The best evidence is small. In the Gerontology study, 64 people aged 65 or older (average age about 81) got a motion-sensor LED strip along the route from bed to bathroom. Their rated fear of falling when getting out of bed at night dropped from 5.5 to 3.8 on a 10-point scale, and their sleep rating rose from 6.7 to 7.4. There was no comparison group, the ratings were self-reported, and too few people fell to show whether falls went down. So a lit path is a reasonable step that made people feel safer. It is not proven to prevent falls.
In practice: light the full route, not one corner, and use a motion sensor if your parent will not remember a switch. A plug-in light low on the wall shines on the floor instead of into the eyes. Keep a lamp where a hand reaches it without leaning.
Fixr's aging-in-place cost page lists "Lighting Installation $20 - $100" in its bathroom table and "Sensor Light Installation $350 - $500" in its other-projects table (page updated August 17, 2022, so expect more today). These are installer prices for fixed lighting, a different job from a plug-in night-light.
Clear the floor, then fix what stays
The MSD checklist asks for no throw rugs, no electrical or extension cords in the way of walking, and clutter out of halls. Take out loose rugs, cords, shoes and the laundry basket parked "just for now." If your parent loves a rug, the checklist's bedroom entry says "tacked down or nonskid rugs." Leave room for a walker or cane if they use one. Put a chair or small table on the side of the bed they get out of, so they have something steady to push up from.
Make the bathroom floor grip
The checklist lists nonslip mats for the bathroom, and grab bars. Wet tile and bare feet are a bad pair, so put a nonslip mat or strip where your parent steps in and out of the tub or shower. Press it down and push it with your foot. If it slides, send it back.
A towel rack is not built to hold a person. A grab bar fixed into the wall is a separate job with its own cost, so treat it as the next step after this page.
When cheap is not enough
Move to bigger steps if your parent has already fallen, gets dizzy standing up, or needs help to reach the toilet. Tell their doctor about any fall. An occupational therapist (OT, someone trained to adjust a home and daily routine to a person's body) can walk the home and name what to change. Ask which bathroom change should come first, and whether the bed height and chair suit your parent.
What to do, in order
- Night-lights along the route: bedroom, hall and bathroom. Use a motion sensor if switches get forgotten.
- Remove loose rugs from the path, or tack them down.
- A nonslip mat or strip in and beside the tub or shower.
- A sturdy chair or table by the bed.