Fall Prevention for Older Adults

Improving Independence in the Home Environment: Assessment and Intervention

Telephone

Problem	Potential Intervention
Difficult to reach	Cordless phone Inform friends to give you 10 rings Clear path Headset cordless phone Answering machine and call back
Difficult to hear ringing	Option ring sounds Volume control Blinking lights Vibration
Difficult to hear other person	Volume control TDD Headset
Difficult to hold receiver	Headset Speaker phone Adapted handles
Difficulty dialing numbers	Preset numbers Large buttons and numbers Voice activated dialing

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/

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Last updated: 16 September, 2009

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