Lighting your home for safety

Sahelisaheli.ca · hello@saheli.ca

Why this matters

Eyes need more light as they age, and after an illness or an operation. They also take longer to adjust when the light changes, so a bright hall into a dark room is harder than it looks.

Light costs almost nothing to fix. A brighter bulb is a few dollars and works the moment you fit it. Nothing else on this list gives so much back for so little.

Quick safety check

Ask yourself:

Can you read a letter comfortably in every room you use?
Is there a switch within reach of every doorway?
Can you see the edge of each step on the stairs?
Is the route from the bed to the bathroom lit at night?
Does the outside light show the keyhole and the step?

Room by room

The way in
Light the path and the door. Check you can see the keyhole and the edge of each step.
Stairs
Put a switch at the top and the bottom. Light the steps so every edge stands out.
Living room
Add a lamp beside the chair. One ceiling light rarely reaches a book or a crossword.
Bedroom
Put a lamp switch within arm's reach of the pillow. Light the whole route out.
Kitchen
Light the worktop, not just the ceiling. Your own shadow falls where you chop.

What you can do today

1
Walk the home at dusk
Turn everything on and change any bulb that is dead, dim or flickering.
2
Light the night route
Put a plug-in night light between the bed and the bathroom, and one in the bathroom.
3
Add a lamp where you read
Put it beside the chair used most, with the switch in easy reach of the seat.
4
Reach the switch first
Find any room you cross in the dark to reach a switch. Add one by the door.

Where a companion helps

Some of this is easier with someone alongside. A Saheli companion can help with:

Changing bulbs that can be reached without a ladder
Buying bulbs, lamps and night lights
Clearing what blocks a lamp or a switch
Setting up a lamp, a timer or a smart plug
Accompaniment to an eye appointment
Reading post aloud when the light is poor
Companionship and regular visits

A companion goes with you; they never drive you and never provide the vehicle. You arrange the ride, or you travel together by transit, taxi or rideshare.

Find a companion

Companions are not an assessment team

Saheli companions give non-medical everyday support and companionship. They do not assess a home, install anything, or advise on health.

In an emergency

Call 911.

For anything medical

Speak to a doctor or pharmacist about dizziness, balance, eyesight, memory or medication. Some difficulties at home have a medical cause, and no change to the house will fix those.

Using this guide

If you are a family: Print it, walk the home with it, and do what you can today. Come back to it every six months.
If you are a companion: Share this with a family, or use it as a reminder of what to notice on a visit. It is not an assessment, and none of it is yours to carry out.

Next in this series

A new guide every week, free to read and print.

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Reviewed 8 September 2026 by the Saheli team.

This guide gives general information only. It is not medical, legal, or professional advice, and it does not replace an assessment by a qualified professional. In an emergency, call 911.

Lighting your home for safety

Why this matters

Quick safety check

Room by room

The way in

Stairs

Living room

Bedroom

Kitchen

What you can do today

Walk the home at dusk

Light the night route

Add a lamp where you read

Reach the switch first