The Home Instead Senior Care office serving Southeast Minnesota is offering a free home safety checklist and other tools for area seniors and their families.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 20 million seniors ages 65 and older visit the emergency room each year with almost a third of the visits related to injuries, many of which are sustained in the home. However, almost half of all home accidents by seniors (48 percent) can be avoided, according to a recent survey of emergency room doctors conducted by the Home Instead Senior Care network.

“The home should be the safest and most comfortable place for aging seniors,” said Sarah Pacchetti, owner of the Home Instead Senior Care office serving southeast Minnesota, in a press release. “It is critical for families and seniors to invest the time in identifying the necessary home safety modifications to ensure it stays that way.”

Senior home safety experts recommend that adult children of seniors take at least one day each year to perform a thorough safety check of their parents’ home.

To request a free home safety checklist, please call the local Home Instead Senior Care office at 507-285-1700. For other resources including online safety assessment and recommendations for inexpensive modifications, please visitwww.makinghomesaferforseniors.com.