Fall Prevention for Older Adults

Improving Independence in the Home Environment: Assessment and Intervention

Leisure

Problem	Potential Intervention
Can’t hear television	Personal listening device with amplifier (several commercial brands and compatible with hearing aids) Closed captioning
Complicated remote control	Simple remote with large buttons Universal remote control Voice activated remote control Clapper (department store, radio/ electronics store)
Can’t see or shuffle cards	Large print cards Automatic shuffler Card holder
Can’t read small print	Magnifying glass Large print projector screen Scanner with electronic voice output
Glare on reading material	Place light source to right or left Avoid glossy paper for reading material Black ink vs. blue or pencil

Note: The interventions described in this assessment serve only as suggestions. A complete assessment of a person’s individual needs should be conducted by a team of licensed and trained professionals. Any intervention or modification to a building must comply with local, state, and federal laws and building codes. In apartments or rental homes, written permission to make modifications should be obtained from the landlord, owner, or property manager. Architectural interventions should be assessed by a licensed architect and carried out by a licensed construction contractor.

Reproduced from: Assessment and Intervention of the Home Environment for Older Persons, Center for Therapeutic Applications of Technology, University of Buffalo, 515 Kimball Tower, 3435 Main Street, Buffalo, New York, 14214-3079, phone (716) 829-3141, fax (716) 829-3217. http://wings.buffalo.edu/academic/department/hrp/ot/cat/

Download the latest version of Adobe Reader® to view and print PDF files.

[back to top]

Last updated: 16 September, 2009

Educational programs of the Texas AgriLife Extension Service are open to all people without regard to race, color, sex, disability, religion, age, or national origin.