One of the first steps to good long-term eldercare planning is a thorough safety assessment of the older person's home. Home accidents are some of the most common reasons why seniors make trips to the hospital or need to move to an alternative living facility like assisted living or a nursing home, and home safety is one of the easiest, yet most important assessments you can make.

A home safety assessment will point out modifications and repairs that can reduce or prevent accidents that can be devastating to an older person.

Print out a copy of the Home Safety Checklist and take a walk around your parents' home. Make notes of anything that could be fixed, moved, repaired or improved. Make the changes you've noted as soon as you can. Every improvement or repair will make a senior you care about just that much safer.

When you have finished your home safety assessment, review the Warning Signs that things may not be right with your individual elders

Download the Senior Home Safety Assessment