Safety and home
Home safety assessment
A home safety assessment is a room-by-room check of a home for hazards that could cause falls or injuries. A trained professional such as an occupational therapist may do it. Families can also use a checklist. It leads to a list of changes and equipment.
Why it matters for your family
The National Institute on Aging offers room-by-room tips, such as grab bars near toilets, good lighting and clear walkways. A professional can go further and watch how the person moves in the home. Families often skip this and buy equipment on a guess. A shower chair that does not fit the tub, or a rug left in a hallway, can create new risk. Do the check before a hospital discharge when possible, and repeat it when health changes. A common mistake is to focus on the bathroom and ignore stairs, lighting and clutter. Ask the doctor about an occupational therapy referral.
Source: nia.nih.gov
Read more: What is Home Care? How to Benefit from These Services?
Related terms
- Fall preventionFall prevention is the set of steps that lower the chance an older adult will fall.
- Home modificationsHome modifications are changes to a house that make it safer and easier to use for an older adult or a person with a disability.
- Grab barsGrab bars are sturdy handles fixed to a wall, usually in a bathroom, that give a person something solid to hold when standing, sitting or stepping.
- Aging in placeAging in place means staying in your own home as you get older.
- Care assessmentA care assessment is a review of a person's health, abilities, home and support to decide what help they need.
- Non-slip flooringNon-slip flooring is flooring or a floor treatment that gives better grip, especially when wet.
