You're Already in the Home. Are You Catching Everything?
A structured, evidence-based home safety protocol for OTs, PTs, and rehabilitation professionals ā with AOTA and PT CEUs.
You assess function, mobility, and fall risk. But the home environment is an independent risk factor ā and most clinicians address it informally, if at all. The SHSS certification gives you a 240-point structured protocol that makes the environmental side of your practice as rigorous as the clinical side.
- Systematize environmental assessment across every home visit
- Earn AOTA, PT/PTA, and NACCM continuing education credits
- Quantify home safety with the Age SafeĀ® Home Scoreā¢
Trusted by Industry Leaders
The Environmental Gap in Clinical Practice
You address the person. But what about the home itself?
OTs, PTs, and rehab professionals are the gold standard for functional assessment ā balance, gait, cognition, strength, ADL performance. But the home environment presents independent risk factors that exist regardless of the patientās functional status. A strong patient can still trip over a loose rug. Good balance doesnāt prevent a fall caused by a missing grab bar in a wet bathtub.
Most clinicians notice environmental hazards informally during home visits ā a loose rug here, poor lighting there. But without a structured protocol, the assessment is inconsistent, incomplete, and difficult to document. Research shows the gap is real:
How Clinicians Use SHSS in Practice
Senior Home Safety SpecialistĀ® (SHSS)
Structured home safety assessment framework
Home Safety Fundamentals (HSF)
Optional support for clinic staff
- Some clinics extend HSF to aides or support roles when home touchpoints are part of care delivery
Common Add-ons
Volume Discounts Available
Organizations purchasing multiple certifications or enrolling clinical teams receive discounted pricing.
Groups of 30+ receive up to 25% off. Pricing scales with team size.
A Structured Protocol That Matches Your Clinical Rigor
5 hours. 17 modules. 240 assessment points. AOTA and PT CEUs.
The SHSS certification isnāt a general awareness course. Itās a structured clinical tool that systematizes the environmental domain of your practice ā the part that evidence says makes outcomes stronger when combined with functional intervention.
240 Points Across 30 Categories
- Goes well beyond the Westmead's 72 items
- Covers bathrooms, kitchens, bedrooms, stairs, lighting, fire safety, and more
Age SafeĀ® Home Scoreā¢ ā Quantified Outcomes
- Converts environmental assessment into an objective 0ā100 score
- Track improvement over time and compare across patients
- Demonstrate measurable outcomes with standardized data
Actionable Recommendations for Every Hazard
- Every hazard gets a specific, documented recommendation
- Families get a clear safety plan; you get documentation that supports clinical decisions
Evidence-Based Severity Classification
- Every assessment item classified by severity tier (Critical, Important, Advisory) based on published evidence
- You and your patients know what to fix first
Built for Clinical Professionals Who Go Into Homes
The SHSS certification is designed for clinicians who work with older adults in their home environments ā whether through a home health agency, a private practice, a community-based program, or an independent consulting practice.
- Occupational Therapists (OTs)
- Physical Therapists (PTs)
- Certified OT Assistants (COTAs)
- Physical Therapist Assistants (PTAs)
- Kinesiotherapists
- Rehabilitation Specialists
- Geriatric Care Managers
- Community-Based Rehab Therapists
- Aging-in-Place Consultants
- Home Modification Specialists
No prerequisites required. If you work with older adults and want a structured approach to the home environment, this certification is for you.
Strengthen Your Home Visits
Youāre already assessing function in the home. Add the 240-point environmental protocol to your existing visits. Instead of informally noting a few hazards, you systematically evaluate the entire environment and document it with a quantified score.
A structured environmental assessment integrated into every home visit.
Build a Specialization in Home Safety
Position yourself as the clinician who bridges functional rehabilitation and environmental safety. In a market where 10,000 boomers turn 65 every day and 90% want to age at home, clinicians with structured home safety credentials are in growing demand.
A credential that generates referrals and differentiates your practice.
Add a Private-Pay Service Line
Offer comprehensive home safety assessments as a private-pay service. Families who want their parentās home assessed for aging-in-place safety will pay for the expertise of a clinician with structured assessment tools and a nationally recognized credential.
Clinical expertise + structured assessment = a service families actively seek and pay for.
240 Points Across 30 Categories
Goes well beyond the Westmeadās 72 items. Covers bathrooms, kitchens, bedrooms, hallways, stairs, lighting, fire safety, emergency access, medication storage, dementia risks, laundry, and more ā the most comprehensive structured environmental assessment available.
Age SafeĀ® Home Scoreā¢ ā Quantified Outcomes
Converts environmental assessment into an objective 0ā100 score. Track improvement over time, compare across patients, demonstrate measurable outcomes with standardized data ā not just narrative notes.
What Clinicians Are Saying
Hear from OTs, PTs, and clinical professionals who have added structured home safety assessment to their practice.
You Restore Function. But What Happens When They Go Home?
The Cochrane Review, AOTA practice guidelines, and the JAMA clinical trial all agree: functional rehabilitation and environmental modification together produce the best outcomes. This guide shows OTs and PTs how a 240-point structured protocol deepens clinical practice, earns AOTA CEUs (Approval ID# 5285), and protects the gains youāve already achieved.
How to Get Started
Choose Your Version
Select the SHSS course version that matches your CEU requirements ā standard, AOTA-approved, PT-approved, or captioned/Spanish.
Complete the Course
Work through 17 self-paced modules at your own speed. Most clinicians finish within a few days. Evidence-based content with videos, quizzes, and downloadable tools.
Get Certified
Receive your SHSS certificate, digital emblem, and CEU documentation. Use your credential immediately in your practice.
Apply the Protocol
Start using the 240-point assessment framework and the Age SafeĀ® Home Scoreā¢ in your home visits, consultations, or as a new service offering.
Choose Your Version
Select the SHSS course version that matches your CEU requirements ā standard, AOTA-approved, PT-approved, or captioned/Spanish.
Complete Training
Complete SHSS and apply the framework to home education and discharge planning.
Use Credential
Use CEU documentation and credential for professional requirements.
Expand
For teams: pilot with one discipline or unit and expand as needed.
Approved Continuing Education Credits
The SHSS certification is approved for continuing education credits across multiple professional organizations. Earn credits while building a structured environmental assessment capability.
American Occupational Therapy Association
.5 CEUs/5 contact hours
Society of Certified Senior Advisors
5 CEU's
National Association for Homecare & Hospice
5 continuing education units
National Academy of Certified Care Managers
5.5 contact hours
American Kinesiotherapy Association
5 CEU's
CEU eligibility and reporting requirements vary by organization and state. Documentation provided upon completion.
Frequently Asked Questions
Get Certified and Strengthen Your Practice
The evidence is clear: the strongest outcomes come from addressing both the person and the home. The SHSS gives you a structured, AOTA-approved protocol that makes the environmental domain of your practice as rigorous as the clinical side ā and earns CEUs while you do it.
Have Questions? Talk to Our Team ā
Questions? info@agesafeamerica.com | (877) 357-7233