Assessing the Safety of Older Adults' Home Environments with the HOME FAST Assessment Tool

Authors

  • Jan Strajnar University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Health Sciences (student of physiotherapy)
  • Žak Kreča Univestity of Ljubljana, Faculty of Health Sciences (student of physiotherapy)
  • Filip Pretnar Faculty of Health Sciences, Univestity of Ljubljana (student of orthotics and prosthetics) https://orcid.org/0009-0006-0626-3268
  • Sara Drevenšek University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Health Sciences (student of occupational therapy)
  • Eva Logar University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Health Sciences (student of occupational therapy)
  • Dolores Sodja University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Health Sciences (student of orthotics and prosthetics)
  • Katarina Hekič University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Theology (student of marriage and family studies)

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55707/jhs.v12i2.174

Keywords:

falls, home environment, fall prevention, older adults, assessment tool

Abstract

In an ageing society, addressing the challenges of older adults is critical to ensuring their safety and quality of life. Falls in the home environment are one of the greatest risks for older adults and often lead to loss of independence. As part of an interdisciplinary research project, students from different disciplines used the Home FAST assessment tool to identify risk factors in the home environment of older adults. 26 homes of people aged 65 and over were assessed. The results showed that the most common hazards for falls were slippery surfaces (69%), loose carpets (50%), lack of grab bars in the bathroom (65%), and hazards when using stairs (42%) and kitchen appliances (65% cannot reach them). Many homes lacked adequate lighting (15%) or marked stair nosings (80%), further increasing the risk of falls. The results show how important it is to adapt the living environment and take preventative measures. To support older adults and their relatives, an information booklet was produced with practical instructions on how to create a safe living environment. 

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Published

2025-12-22

How to Cite

Strajnar, J., Kreča, Žak, Pretnar, F., Drevenšek, S., Logar, E., Sodja, D., & Hekič, K. (2025). Assessing the Safety of Older Adults’ Home Environments with the HOME FAST Assessment Tool. Revija Za Zdravstvene Vede, 12(2), 129–140. https://doi.org/10.55707/jhs.v12i2.174

Issue

Vol. 12 No. 2 (2025)

Section

Articles

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Copyright (c) 2025 Jan Strajnar, Žak Kreča, Filip Pretnar, Sara Drevenšek, Eva Logar, Dolores Sodja, Katarina Hekić

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.