AARP HomeFit Video: The Bedroom

With so many portable and high-tech devices at our disposal, the bedroom has become more than just a bedroom. Smartphones, laptop computers, exercise gear and game consoles often make their way into the space. While the devices and their accessories are typically visible during daylight hours, they can pose serious tripping hazards in the dark — especially if the charging cords and items are left on the floor.

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A Few Points About Pets

Nearly seven out of 10 households in the United States include a pet. The most common types are dogs, cats and freshwater fish (in that order).

A report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveals that about 85,000 people suffer nonfatal injuries each year during falls that involve dogs or cats.

Dogs accounted for 88 percent of the tumbles — and females were twice as likely to be injured as men.

A related hazard: tripping over pet toys and accessories.

Since, for pet owners, not having the pet is not an option, the best prevention, according to the National Institute on Aging, is to “Know where your pet is whenever you’re standing or walking.”

Other ways to protect against pet-related tumbles:

• Limit the number of pet toys in the home (or limit the number of toys that are out and available to the pet at one time).
  
  
• Regularly pick up the toys and place them in a designated spot — and try to train the pet to do the same.
  
  
• When carrying packages, a laundry basket or other bulky items, put the pet in the basement, garage, utility room or a pen until the lifting and moving tasks are done.

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