Guide · Fall prevention
Preventing falls among older people at home
Read: 8 minUpdated: 2026-07-02
In short
A fall is the leading home risk among older people. Preventing it rests on four levers: adapting the home (clear passageways, a secure bathroom, good lighting), installing suitable equipment (grab bars, a height-adjustable bed, a walker), ensuring an attentive presence and monitoring risk factors with the doctor. In Marrakech, where many seniors live in riads with narrow staircases, SAMU Marrakech advises, provides the equipment and offers support to make daily life safer.
Why falls are so common — and so preventable
With age, balance, muscle strength and eyesight decline, while some treatments can cause dizziness or drowsiness. The combination of these factors with a poorly adapted home explains how common falls at home are. The good news: most are preventable. A fall is not an inevitable part of ageing, but the result of identifiable risks — a rug that slips, a poorly lit staircase, a bathroom without support. Acting on the environment and support greatly reduces this risk and preserves the person’s independence.
Adapting the home room by room
Review the home. In the circulation areas: clear the passageways, remove slippery rugs, fix electrical cables, ensure enough lighting day and night. In the bathroom, the highest-risk place: install grab bars, a non-slip mat and, if needed, a shower seat. In the bedroom: favour a bed at a good height and a clear approach. Provide a night light for night-time trips. Every detail counts: prevention is first a matter of a well-thought-out environment.
Securing staircases, especially in Marrakech riads
In Marrakech, many seniors live in traditional riads of unique charm, but whose narrow, steep staircases, uneven steps and railing-less patios pose a real safety issue. For these homes, vigilance is heightened: presence during trips up and down, clearing passageways, spotting risk areas, and where possible reorganising daily life on one level. Our carers know the layout of riads and adapt their support. An in-home patient carer can provide a reassuring presence at the most delicate moments of the day.
Suitable equipment, presence and medical follow-up
Three supports complement the adaptation. First, equipment: we provide, install, train on use and maintain a hospital bed, a walker or grab bars — see our medical equipment at home. Second, presence: non-medical support provides monitoring and help with moving around. Finally, medical follow-up: some risk factors (treatments, blood pressure, eyesight) are for the doctor, and home nursing follow-up can be set up on prescription. In case of a fall with injury, call 141 or 150 for a life-threatening emergency; for non-urgent transport, we coordinate a private ambulance.
Frequently asked questions
Adapt the home (clear passageways, a secure bathroom, good lighting), install suitable equipment (grab bars, a height-adjustable bed, a walker), ensure an attentive presence and monitor risk factors with the doctor. Most falls are preventable.