Domestic safety and accidents risk perception by active elderly

Abstract

The improvement in the quality of life of older people goes far beyond the responsibility of the healthcare sector. Thus, it seems necessary to create accident prevention strategies and manage all the conditions involving the physical and social environment of the elderly. Although it is widely recognized that aging is a process that affects all human beings, it is noted that very often the elderly refuse to notice or consider this process, since the residential dwellings remain without any adjustments or with slightly adaptations, for almost their entire life. The purpose of this study is to discuss the perception of the elderly regarding the relationship between accident risk at home and their physical condition when performing daily activities, by establishing a comparison between the activities carried out by the elderly and the needed home adjustments throughout their life cycle.