Home Safety Checks
Taking care of his mother as she aged, Tom knew a bit about what to expect as he grew older. However, a fall while raking leaves in his backyard left him with an arm injury. Hearing about Family Service Rochester through a friend, he started receiving Meals on Wheels when he found it challenging to cook with his injured arm. Nearly 29% of Americans 65+ have reported falling at least once in the last year, resulting in an estimated 29 million falls and 7 million fall injrires. Living alone, additional falls were a concern for Tom.
Neighbors Helping Neighbors aims to help older adults within our community live safely and independently in the homes they know and love. Home safety can become a challenge as we age, especially when living alone. A particular concern is a fact that there’s no one around to help should a medical emergency like a fall occur. Although falls are common, approximately half of older adults do not discuss this with their healthcare provider. However, falls are a serious matter and the leading cause of injury-related death among adults age 65 and older.
This isn’t said to scare you, and there’s good news; falls are largely preventable. Screening for fall risks is an essential aspect of fall prevention. Because most falls occur at home, a home safety corps volunteer can help older adults improve their safety at home by identifying risk factors and making safety recommendations. Through Family Service Rochester’s Home Safety Visit, Tom was able to assess his home for potential safety and fall concerns. “The home safety visit was very helpful. I had bathroom grab bars installed after the visit, and thank god they are there; they’ve saved me so many times when the strength in my legs isn’t there,” Tom said.
We are recruiting home safety corps members to conduct the Home Safety Visits. Corps members complete a 2 hr. hands-on simulation training. Home Safety Visits typically take about 1.5 hours. There is no “minimum” visit requirement; assist as your schedule allows!
If your are interested in joining the corps, please contact Jennell at 507-287-2010 x1082 or jloeffler@familyservicerochester.org.
