Home Safety

OBJECTIVES

1. Learn to use a checklist to make sure each room is a safe environment for persons with Alzheimer's or related disorders.
2. Increase awareness of the ways specific impairments can create particular safety hazards in the home.

ACTIVITIES

Home accidents are some of the most common reasons why seniors make trips to the hospital or need to move to an alternative living facility. One of the first steps to good long-term eldercare is a thorough safety assessment of the older person's home.

1. Read Home Safety for People With Alzheimer's Disease
   National Institute on Aging Publication Number: 02-5179
2. Use the Home Safety Assessment Checklist on the following page to evaluate your personal place of residence
3. Write a brief summary (1 page) of your findings and how you might be able to implement the checklist with a client
4. Submit a copy of the checklist and summary paper to your program mentor