CAPS Risk Management & Mitigation 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A client with macular degeneration is moving into a home with a long hallway. Which lighting modification most effectively mitigates vision-related fall risk?
- Installing overhead fluorescent tubes every 10 feet
- Adding continuous low-level night lighting at baseboard height along the hallway (Correct answer)
- Placing a single bright lamp at each end of the hallway
- Using motion-activated overhead lights only
Correct answer: Adding continuous low-level night lighting at baseboard height along the hallway
Continuous low-level night lighting at baseboard height provides consistent path illumination without glare, which is critical for clients with macular degeneration who are sensitive to bright, point-source lights.
Question 2: When assessing outdoor risk for an aging-in-place client, which condition represents the HIGHEST immediate hazard?
- Absence of decorative landscaping near the entrance
- Uneven pavement or cracked walkway leading to the front door (Correct answer)
- Lack of a covered parking structure
- Absence of a doorbell with visual alert
Correct answer: Uneven pavement or cracked walkway leading to the front door
Uneven or cracked pavement is a direct trip-and-fall hazard on the primary access route, representing the highest immediate outdoor risk for older adults.
Question 3: A CAPS professional is advising a client who uses a rollator walker. Which bathroom door modification most effectively reduces entrapment and fall risk?
- Replacing the door with a heavier fire-rated door
- Converting the inward-swinging door to an outward-swinging or pocket door (Correct answer)
- Adding a door closer mechanism to slow closing speed
- Installing a higher door threshold for weather sealing
Correct answer: Converting the inward-swinging door to an outward-swinging or pocket door
An inward-swinging door can trap a fallen user and block emergency access; converting to an outward-swinging or pocket door eliminates this risk and improves clearance for mobility devices.
Question 4: In risk management terms, what does 'risk transfer' mean in the context of a CAPS home modification project?
- Moving hazardous items from one room to another
- Shifting financial or legal responsibility for a risk to another party, such as through insurance or contractor warranties (Correct answer)
- Transferring the client to an assisted living facility
- Reassigning renovation tasks to a different subcontractor
Correct answer: Shifting financial or legal responsibility for a risk to another party, such as through insurance or contractor warranties
Risk transfer involves shifting the financial or legal burden of a potential loss to another party, such as requiring contractors to carry liability insurance or obtaining product warranties.
Question 5: A client has dementia and tends to wander at night. Which risk mitigation strategy is MOST appropriate for this specific concern?
- Installing grab bars in all hallways
- Adding door alarms and visual or auditory deterrents on exterior exits (Correct answer)
- Replacing all round doorknobs with lever handles
- Installing a stair lift on the main staircase
Correct answer: Adding door alarms and visual or auditory deterrents on exterior exits
Door alarms and visual deterrents (such as stop signs or door camouflage) are evidence-based interventions specifically designed to reduce nighttime elopement risk in clients with dementia.
Question 6: Which of the following is the BEST example of 'risk elimination' as a mitigation strategy in aging-in-place design?
- Adding non-slip treads to existing stair steps
- Removing the staircase entirely and relocating all daily living activities to a single floor (Correct answer)
- Installing a stair lift to assist with stair navigation
- Improving staircase lighting to make stairs more visible
Correct answer: Removing the staircase entirely and relocating all daily living activities to a single floor
Eliminating the staircase entirely removes the hazard completely, which is the definition of risk elimination—the most thorough form of risk mitigation.
Question 7: When a CAPS client refuses a recommended safety modification, what is the MOST appropriate professional response?
- Proceed with the modification anyway as it is in the client's best interest
- Document the refusal, explain the risks clearly, and respect the client's autonomy (Correct answer)
- Contact the client's family immediately without the client's consent
- Withdraw from the project to avoid liability
Correct answer: Document the refusal, explain the risks clearly, and respect the client's autonomy
Respecting client autonomy is a core CAPS principle; the professional should document the refusal, clearly explain the associated risks, and allow the client to make an informed decision.
CAPS Risk Management & Mitigation 3
A client with macular degeneration is moving into a home with a long hallway.
Which lighting modification most effectively mitigates vision-related fall risk?