Each and every one of us would prefer to age in our own homes—where we feel most safe, comfortable and secure. However, for many older adults—the home is not safe and not secure. Not only are falls are the leading cause of injuries to older people in the United States, but 60% of deaths for people over 65 are the result of a fall at home. Incredibly, many of these injuries and deaths could be prevented altogether. In fact, studies estimate that 33%-50% of all accidents occurring within the home could have been prevented through home modifications.
According to a survey conducted by the AARP in 2000, 37% of older adult respondents fail to make such home modifications because they are unable to do it themselves and 29% indicated they fear they cannot trust contractors. Affordability was an obstacle for 36%of respondents and nearly one out of every four had no one on whom they could call to do it for them.
Additionally, many older adults are reluctant to admit their home doesn’t work for them for fear of stigmatizing themselves as ‘frail’, ‘needy’, or ‘dependent’. Rather than considering the need as a deficiency in the home, older adults tend to consider these needs deficiencies in themselves and adjust their lifestyles by using the stairs, the kitchen and the shower less frequently, compromising their health and risking injury in the process.
Rebuilding Together Long Beach has the experience, the expertise and the integrity to ameliorate the concerns of older adults who do not have skills, the financial resources nor the family support to perform the home modification and repair to make themselves safe in their own homes. And thanks to support from Archstone Foundation, we have the resources to undertake this new initiative!
Safe-Stay will offer in-home risk assessment and provide both simple and relatively complex home modifications to mitigate those risks for older adult homeowners, regardless of the homeowner’s income level. These modifications may include:
- lever-type door handles
- smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
- indoor and outdoor motion sensing lights
- security screen-doors
- grab bars for the shower/bath
- single hand kitchen, bath and shower faucets
- hand-held shower heads
- repairs to steps and handrails
RTLB applauds Archstone Foundation for their visionary leadership in service to older adults in our community and for supporting this new program.
Click here for Safe Stay Application
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