title: Reliability and validity of the Safety Assessment Scale for people with dementia living at home.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  With the recent funding changes in health care services, more seniors with dementia are cared for in their homes and the nature of their condition puts them at higher risk for accidents and injuries.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The Safety Assessment Scale (SAS) was developed for use by community healthcare providers to evaluate and lower the risk of accidents, provide recommendations to family caregivers and enhance case management. Method. The scale was assessed in terms of the reliability as well as content, criterion and construct validity with 176 community-residing people with dementia in Quebec, Alberta and British Columbia. The Safety Assessment Scale was validated in French and English.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The SAS demonstrated an excellent test-retest (ICC=.91) and inter-rater (ICC=.88) reliability. Results for validity were also extremely good.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The scale is available in French and English. The short version of the SAS is a screening tool and the longer version provides an in-depth evaluation of safety and intervention planning. The SAS can be used by a variety of health care professionals who work with individuals who have dementia.
authors: Department of Family Medicine, McGill University, Côte-des-Neiges, Montreal. lpoulind@ssss.gouv.qc.ca
authors: Courval Louise
authors: CL
authors: de Poulin
authors: Isabelle
authors: I
authors: Gélinas
authors: Serge
authors: S
authors: Gauthier
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Dayton
authors: Lili
authors: L
authors: Liu
authors: Michel
authors: M
authors: Rossignol
authors: John
authors: J
authors: Sampalis
authors: Dolly
authors: D
authors: Dastoor