Home Safety Council Provides Safer Homes for Older Adults

The Falls Free Coalition Home Safety Workgroup has released its report spotlighting 10 creative programs and practices in home assessment and modification that can reduce home hazards through replication in community based organizations.

The Creative Practices in Home Safety Assessment and Modification Study provides insights and ideas for implementing new or strengthening existing home safety assessment and modification programs.

“The goal of this report is to help safety educators and experts in local communities develop creative programs to address falls and ultimately provide safer home environments for older adults,” said Meri-K Appy, president of the Home Safety Council.

According to the report, some important lessons learned from these programs and practices in terms of replication by others were that:

• Home assessments and subsequent modifications are complex activities that require careful planning, oversight and follow-up at all stages.
• Many of the programs selected began when a community champion in fall prevention or a staff resource person initiated a home safety and modification effort.
• Strategically established partnerships with organizations such as schools of nursing or Home Builders Association served as a common element across the selected programs.
• Some programs will need specialized people to implement effectively such as occupational therapists and in some communities it may difficult to access them. Still others could be reproduced in specific settings such as a retirement community with existing staff.

The 64 member Falls FreeTM Coalition is dedicated to preventing falls in older adults; member organizations include federal agencies, professional associations, national organizations and state coalitions. In 2005, it introduced the Falls FreeTM National Action Plan. In 2003, falls resulted in 13,700 deaths, 460,000 hospitalizations and over 1.3 million emergency room visits. In addition to the pain and suffering, fall related injuries medical costs were over $19 Billion in 2000.

To read the full press release, visit: Falls Free Coalition Report Includes Replicable Programs and Practices to Reduce Home Hazards

The read the full report, visit: www.healthyagingprograms.org under Health Topics/Falls Prevention.