Development of the Safety Assessment of Function and the Environment for Rehabilitation (SAFER) Tool

Increasing numbers of seniors are choosing to remain in the community; however statistics for in-home accidents indicate that the over-65 age group is at the greatest risk. The purpose of this article is to describe the Safety Assessment of Function and the Environment for Rehabilitation (SAFER) Tool, which was developed by occupational therapists to address the need for a comprehensive functional and environmental assessment tool to be used with the elderly in the community. It consists of 15 areas of concern arranged in a logical and sensitive manner, subdivided into 128 items or functions. All items must be addressed and if appropriate, checked off as a problem. The tool fulfills the requirements of being quick and easy to use and on completion, it provides clear directions for intervention and treatment.