Certifications & Professional Standards
Cory Poplaski of AgeWellRI has earned the Senior Home Safety Specialist® designation from Age Safe® America, recognizing that he has completed the training necessary to help educate older adults and their families on home safety, fall prevention, personal safety, and the warning signs of financial exploitation.
Carla Poplaski of AgeWellRI has earned the Senior Home Safety Specialist® designation from Age Safe® America, recognizing that she has completed the training necessary to help educate older adults and their families on home safety, fall prevention, personal safety, and the warning signs of financial exploitation.
Age Safe® America is a national membership, training, advocacy and services organization dedicated to meeting the growing need for Home Safety Assessments and Aging-in-Place Home Modifications. To learn more visit https://agesafeamerica.com
AgeWellRI does not perform home modifications or contracting work. We provide safety assessments and oversight, plus hands-on hazard mitigation in our Independence & Upkeep Plan. Any work requiring a licensed trade (such as grab bars, ramps, or electrical or plumbing) is documented and referred to a qualified contractor.
Specialist Certifications & Professional Standards
Every AgeWellRI specialist meets the following requirements before entering a client’s home. These are not optional — they are the baseline standard we hold ourselves to, because the people we serve deserve nothing less.
Our Standard Is Not Negotiable
When you open your door to an AgeWellRI specialist, you are not letting in a stranger. You are welcoming a trained, vetted professional who has met every requirement we set — requirements that exist because our clients are older adults, many living alone and far from family, who deserve to feel completely safe with whoever comes into their home.
The standards below are the foundation of that trust. Each one exists for a single reason: the safety and dignity of the person in that home.
Senior Home Safety Specialist® (SHSS)
Issued by Age Safe® America
What this certification means
The Senior Home Safety Specialist® designation is a structured professional certification that trains individuals specifically in identifying, assessing, and addressing safety hazards in the homes of older adults. SHSS-certified specialists are trained to evaluate fall risks, environmental hazards, lighting deficiencies, trip hazards, navigation barriers, and home safety systems through the lens of an aging population — a perspective general home inspectors aren't trained to apply. This is the foundational certification that defines the core of what AgeWellRI does.
Why this matters to our clients:
✓ Specialist are trained specifically for senior homes — not general residential settings
✓ Assessments follow a structured, proven framework built around the most common causes of senior injury
✓ Identifies hazards that are easy to overlook but dangerous for older adults with mobility or vision limitations
✓ Directly reduces fall risk — a leading cause of injury among older adults
✓ Gives families confidence that visits are professional assessments, not casual walkthroughs
CPR Certification
American Heart Association (AHA) or American Red Cross
What this certification means
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certification trains individuals to respond immediately to cardiac arrest or respiratory failure by maintaining blood flow and oxygen to the brain until emergency medical services arrive. For AgeWellRI, this certification is non-negotiable. Because cardiac events become more common with age — and in many cases the AgeWellRI specialist may be the only person in the home when one occurs — CPR-certified specialists can act in those critical minutes before EMS arrives. That window is often the difference between survival and a fatal outcome.
Why this matters to our clients:
✓ Specialists are trained to respond in the critical minutes before EMS arrives
✓ Especially valuable in communities where EMS response times can be longer
✓ Provides genuine peace of mind for families who worry about what happens during a visit
✓ Demonstrates that AgeWellRI takes its responsibility to clients seriously
✓ Required by our standards and reflects our commitment to every client
AED Certification
Automated External Defibrillator — American Heart Association or equivalent
What this certification means
An Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is a portable device that delivers an electric shock to help restore normal heart rhythm during sudden cardiac arrest. AED certification trains individuals to operate one quickly and safely under pressure. Because AEDs are increasingly found in homes, residential communities, and public buildings, our specialists are trained and ready to use an on-site AED if one is available while emergency services are on the way.
Why this matters to our clients:
✓ If an AED is available in the home or building, our specialists are trained to use it correctly and without hesitation
✓ Pairs with CPR certification so specialists are prepared to help until EMS arrives
✓ Applies to cardiac events, among the most common life-threatening emergencies for older adults
✓ Signals that AgeWellRI specialists are trained and prepared — not just present
✓ Reflects the standard we believe every senior home visit should carry
Comprehensive Background Check
Conducted through a certified national screening provider prior to hire
What this verification means
Every AgeWellRI specialist undergoes a comprehensive background check before their first visit — not after, not conditionally, and not on a case-by-case basis. This check includes a national criminal history search, sex offender registry verification, and identity confirmation. This is not a courtesy — it is a requirement. Our clients are older adults living alone, often with limited ability to protect themselves from harm. The trust they place in us when they open their door is extraordinary, and a rigorous background screening process is the minimum we owe them in return.
Why this matters to our clients:
✓ Clients and families can be confident that every specialist has passed a thorough criminal history review
✓ Especially important for elderly clients living alone, who are more vulnerable to exploitation
✓ Satisfies the due diligence expected of any professional entering a private home
✓ Supports the liability and insurance requirements of operating a senior home services business
✓ Reassures adult children and family members who cannot always be present during visits
Safety Oversight You Can Rely On
Every member of our team is fully background-checked, trained, and committed to the highest safety standards in Rhode Island. Experience professional, certified non-medical home safety oversight you can trust.