PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the utility and reliability of a home hazard checklist published in Health Canada, The Safe Living Guide: A Guide to Home Safety for Seniors (2003). METHODS: 76 community-dwelling seniors evaluated the guide, and inter-rater reliability was determined through comparison of ratings of seniors and experts. RESULTS: Findings revealed that seniors found The Safe Living Guide useful in helping them identify hazards. On the majority of items in the checklist, agreement between raters was moderate to almost perfect, with an overall reliability of 0.509. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: This guide can be used with confidence by seniors and community-based caregivers for evaluating hazards and identifying opportunities in order to support and prolong safe, independent living in the community.
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the utility and reliability of a home hazard checklist published in Health Canada, The Safe Living Guide: A Guide to Home Safety for Seniors (2003). METHODS: 76 community-dwelling seniors evaluated the guide, and inter-rater reliability was determined through comparison of ratings of seniors and experts. RESULTS: Findings revealed that seniors found The Safe Living Guide useful in helping them identify hazards. On the majority of items in the checklist, agreement between raters was moderate to almost perfect, with an overall reliability of 0.509. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: This guide can be used with confidence by seniors and community-based caregivers for evaluating hazards and identifying opportunities in order to support and prolong safe, independent living in the community.