Home safety assessments
Room-by-room safety evaluation with prioritized recommendations.
The home safety assessment
The home safety assessment in the Safety section walks you through every room in your loved one's home, checking for common hazards: tripping risks (loose rugs, cords across walkways, uneven thresholds), inadequate lighting (dim hallways, no nightlights), missing safety equipment (grab bars in bathroom, handrails on stairs), inaccessible items (frequently used items stored too high or too low), and fire or burn risks (space heaters, hot water temperature). The assessment takes about 10-15 minutes and generates a prioritized list of improvements specific to the home.
Photo-based safety analysis
The photo analysis feature lets you take pictures of any room and get smart safety feedback. Upload a photo and the system identifies potential hazards like loose cords, cluttered walkways, unstable furniture, inadequate lighting, and missing safety equipment. This catches things you might overlook because you have been seeing them for years. It is especially useful for family members who do not visit the home regularly and want to do a quick safety check during a visit.
Priority recommendations
After the assessment, recommendations are ranked by impact and urgency. Fall prevention items are typically highest priority because falls are the leading cause of serious injury for seniors: one in four adults over 65 falls each year, and falls are the number one cause of traumatic brain injury in this age group. High-priority items typically include: grab bars near the toilet and in the shower, non-slip mats in the bathtub, removing loose rugs, adding nightlights on the path to the bathroom, and securing cords and clutter from walkways.
Beyond the physical home
The Safety section also covers: fall prevention strategies and exercises that improve balance, emergency preparedness planning (what to do in a power outage, severe weather, or medical emergency), scam and fraud protection with a scam dashboard that tracks current elder fraud schemes, driving safety evaluation for determining when it may be time to limit or stop driving, and wandering prevention strategies for people with dementia including door alarms and GPS options.
Tips
Start with the bathroom and stairs, as these are the highest-risk areas in any home. Many safety improvements are surprisingly inexpensive: nightlights, non-slip bath strips, outlet covers, and cabinet locks cost very little but reduce risk significantly. Check the Financial section for state and local programs that may help cover the cost of home modifications like grab bars and ramp installation. Redo the assessment every 6 months or whenever the care situation changes, because declining mobility or cognition can turn previously safe areas into hazards.