The home fixes Minnesota's falls-prevention guidance actually names

Grab bars (stainless, wall-mounted)

“Adding railings and grab bars” is the Minnesota Board on Aging's headline home fix. Bathrooms first: beside the toilet and inside and outside the tub or shower.

Look for: ADA-compliant, anchored to studs or with rated hollow-wall anchors (not suction)

Basis: MN Board on Aging, Falls Prevention

Non-slip bath mat + shower treads

Most falls happen at home, and wet tile is where they start. A rubber-backed mat outside the tub and treads inside remove the two slickest surfaces in the house.

Basis: MN Board on Aging, Falls Prevention

Shower chair

Sitting to bathe removes the single riskiest balance moment of the day. Look for adjustable-height legs and rubber feet.

Basis: MN Board on Aging, Falls Prevention

Raised toilet seat with handles

Standing from a low seat is a common fall trigger. A locking raised seat with arms turns it back into a supported movement.

Basis: MN Board on Aging, Falls Prevention

Motion-sensor night lights

“Improving our lighting” is on the Board on Aging's list because the 2 a.m. hallway walk is a classic fall. Motion lights need no switch and no memory.

Basis: MN Board on Aging, Falls Prevention

Stair handrail kit

Railings are named alongside grab bars in the state's guidance. Any stairway with fewer than two solid rails is a project worth one afternoon.

Basis: MN Board on Aging, Falls Prevention

Ice cleats for shoes

Minnesota-specific: the sidewalk in January is the fall risk the national checklists forget. Slip-on cleats grip ice and stow in a coat pocket.

Basis: MN Board on Aging, Falls Prevention

Reacher grabber tool

Climbing a step stool for something on a shelf is exactly the kind of avoidable risk the falls-prevention guidance targets. A long reacher retires the stool.

Basis: MN Board on Aging, Falls Prevention

Weekly pill organizer

“Know your medications” is one of the Board on Aging's falls-prevention pillars: some medication mixes cause the dizziness behind falls. An organizer keeps doses honest.

Basis: MN Board on Aging, Falls Prevention

Carbon monoxide alarm (UL 2034)

Minnesota law requires an approved, operational CO alarm within 10 feet of every room used for sleeping, in every single-family home and apartment. “Approved” means certified to UL 2034.

Look for: UL 2034 certified; plug-in with battery backup or sealed 10-year battery

Basis: Minn. Stat. 299F.51 (CO alarms)

Smoke alarm (10-year sealed battery)

State statute requires a smoke alarm meeting the State Fire Code in every dwelling unit. Sealed 10-year-battery models end the 2 a.m. chirp-and-disable cycle that kills alarms in practice.

Look for: UL 217 listed; sealed 10-year lithium battery

Basis: Minn. Stat. 299F.362 (smoke alarms)

Combination smoke + CO alarm

One unit that satisfies both statutes' specs near bedrooms. Handy where outlets and ceiling space are scarce, like hallways outside sleeping rooms.

Look for: UL 217 and UL 2034 listed

Basis: Minn. Stat. 299F.51 (CO alarms)

Home fire extinguisher (ABC)

On the federal preparedness list Minnesota HSEM points to. A multi-purpose ABC extinguisher covers ordinary combustibles, grease and electrical fires.

Look for: UL rated, class ABC multi-purpose

Basis: MN HSEM weather safety (kit list via Ready.gov)