Getting Your Home Ready for Home Health Visits

I've walked into thousands of homes as an occupational therapist, and I've seen the full spectrum - everything from spotlessly prepared spaces to homes where I'm immediately worried about my patient's safety.

You don't need to deep clean or redecorate before home health starts. But some basic preparation makes the visits more productive and keeps you safer during recovery. Here's what actually matters.

The Floor Is Your Biggest Risk

Falls are the number one danger for people recovering at home. And the floor is where most fall hazards live.

Throw rugs need to go, or at least get taped down securely. Those little rugs in the bathroom and kitchen? Remove them completely, at least for now. An area rug you've had for years and never tripped on? You might trip on it now that you're weaker or less steady.

Cords running across walking paths are a problem. Rearrange furniture temporarily if you need to, or tape cords down along the baseboard.

Clear the main routes you'll be walking - from bed to bathroom, from bedroom to living room, from living room to kitchen. A path that requires navigating around furniture and stepping over things is a path where falls happen.

Lighting Makes a Huge Difference

When you're not feeling well, your balance is often worse, and your reaction time is slower. Good lighting helps you see obstacles and catch yourself before problems become falls.

Get nightlights for the hallway and bathroom. You're going to be getting up at night, and fumbling around in the dark while you're recovering is asking for trouble.

If any bulbs have burned out, replace them now. This sounds obvious, but you'd be amazed how many homes I visit where half the lights don't work.

Consider getting a flashlight for your nightstand in case of power outages.

The Bathroom Needs Attention

The bathroom is where a lot of accidents happen, so it's worth some focus.

Grab bars make a real difference. The hospital might have given you a prescription for them, or you can buy them yourself. One near the toilet and one in the shower or tub - these prevent falls and help you get up and down safely.

A shower chair or transfer bench lets you sit while bathing instead of standing on wet surfaces while you're weak and unsteady. You can rent or buy one, or your home health agency might help arrange it.

Non-slip mats in the tub or shower floor are a small investment that prevents a lot of accidents.

If your toilet is low and hard to get up from, a raised toilet seat can help. This is especially useful after hip surgery or for anyone with leg weakness.

Set Up a "Home Base"

When you're recovering, you'll spend a lot of time in one spot. Set it up properly.

Pick a comfortable chair or spot on the couch where you can rest, and make sure you can get out of it relatively easily. Low, soft sofas that you sink into are harder to get out of than firmer chairs with armrests.

Within arm's reach, keep: your phone, the TV remote, water or other drinks, any medications you might need, tissues, and whatever else you use frequently. This minimizes how often you have to get up unnecessarily.

If you have a hospital bed or special equipment, clear space for it before it arrives.

Medication Organization

Before your first nursing visit, gather all your medications in one place. That means prescription bottles, over-the-counter stuff, vitamins, supplements - everything.

The nurse is going to review all of it with you, check for duplicates or interactions, and make sure you understand what you're taking and why.

If your medications are scattered throughout the house, or some are at the pharmacy and some are lost in drawers somewhere, that conversation becomes much harder.

A pill organizer is worth getting. The kind with compartments for each day, and AM/PM sections if you take multiple doses. It sounds basic, but medication errors are extremely common and pill organizers prevent a lot of them.

Make Room for the Clinicians

We show up with bags of supplies and sometimes equipment. Having a clear space where we can set up and work makes the visit more efficient.

A table or desk near where you'll be sitting works well. Good lighting in that area helps, especially for wound care.

If there's a pet who's protective or excitable, think about where they'll go during visits. Most clinicians are fine with pets around, but an aggressive dog or a cat who tries to climb into the wound care supplies creates problems.

Write Down Your Questions

This isn't about physical preparation, but it matters.

Between now and your first visit, write down questions as they occur to you. What concerns you about your recovery? What are you confused about? What instructions from the hospital didn't make sense?

Having that list ready means you actually get your questions answered instead of remembering them all after the nurse leaves.

What You Don't Need to Worry About

You don't need to make your home perfect. We're healthcare workers, not home inspectors.

Some dirty dishes in the sink don't matter. The fact that you haven't dusted in a while doesn't affect your care. We're not judging your housekeeping.

We've seen it all - hoarder houses, homes with exotic pets, apartments so small we can barely fit through the door. We adapt. What we care about is keeping you safe and helping you recover, not whether your decor is up to date.

The Bottom Line

Spend your limited energy on what actually matters: fall prevention, lighting, bathroom safety, medication organization, and having your questions ready.

Everything else can wait until you're feeling better.