Are You Afraid of Falling in Your Home? Fair Housing Law May Help

According to the New Hampshire Falls Risk Task Force, falling is not a normal part of aging!  Yet, for New Hampshire residents 65 and older, falls were the leading cause of accidental death in 2020 and resulted in 12,962 trips to the emergency department in 2019. https://nhfalls.org/downloads/IssueBrief.pdf.   Here are simple ways to take charge. 

To assess your fall risk, take the New Hampshire Falls Risk quiz https://nhfalls.org/risk/risk-factors.php and check your home for environmental hazards by using the Home Safety Assessment Checklist https://nhfalls.org/downloads/DHHS-home-safety-assessment.pdf. Consider whether you need any home modifications.  For example, do you need a handheld shower head or bathroom grab bars?  What about your entry way, is it well-lit and does it have hand railings? Is your walkway an obstacle course?   

If you are experiencing mobility issues and live in a rental unit, Fair Housing protections may help pave the way for home modifications.  The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, and disability.  Individuals with physical disabilities may need home modifications to access all areas of their home safely and freely.  If your landlord refuses to allow you to make reasonable modifications to your apartment, or if you are in a federally subsidized apartment and your landlord refuses to pay for reasonable modifications, you may be eligible for relief under the Fair Housing Act.   

If you have questions about the Fair Housing Act or reasonable modifications, the New Hampshire Legal Assistance Fair Housing Project can answer them. Contact us today at 1-800-921-1115.