FALLS IN THE ELDERLY FALL PREVENTION PROGRAMS

Falls in the Elderly – Fall Prevention Programs
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Falls in the Elderly – Fall Prevention Programs
The topic is vital since falls among the elderly are common and need to be prevented. Fall prevention among older adults is beneficial as it reduces unintentional injuries and hospital admissions, and improves their quality of life. Fall prevention is vital to improve strength and functional balance among older adults.1 Injury-related falls usually need the elderly person to be hospitalized and also increases the risk of death.4 For this reason, fall prevention programs among the elderly are vital, which underlines the importance of studying the topic. Preventing falls potentially leads to cost savings and promotes better health among the elderly.4 Besides, since the number of falls is on the rise, examining the topic more closely is paramount.5
Data reveals that falls among the elderly results in hospital stays that are about twice as long as any other hospital admission reason, as well as the fact that fall risk increases with age and higher in women compared to men.3 Data reveals that falls among the elderly patients are a common phenomenon and presents a considerable concern in the US as a third of adults aged above 65 and half of those aged above 80 sustain at least a fall on an annual basis.3 Of these falls about 30% culminate in injuries ranging from moderate to severe that consequently interferes with the capability of continuing living in the community.

3 An estimated 9,500 deaths of older US citizens experience falls annually.2 One in every 200 individuals aged between 65 and 69 have falls that lead to hip fractures, which increases to one in 10 for those aged above 85.2 Additionally, a fourth of seniors with hip fractures from falls die in six months of the injury, which justifies the need for interventions.2
I work with home health care for the elderly, which is classified as an assisted living facility. The facility has already implemented primary, secondary, and tertiary interventions. Primary interventions include the active elimination of hazards that contribute to falls, which is inclusive of adequate lighting systems and designs incorporating a non-slippery floor. Pertaining to secondary intervention, the home health care facility conducts frequent fall risk audits that sheds light on whether the elderly patients are exposed to risks of falls. The risk audits encompass recommendations that can be implemented to prevent falls. The patients are also tested for visual impairments that can subsequently lead to falls and correction measures adopted. Lastly, tertiary interventions include ensuring that the elderly are assigned to a physical therapist and educating the nurses responsible for the elderly in the facility. These interventions have been effective since a minimal number of falls have been reported.
Response to Classmate
Your post was captivating, and I liked the idea of gait training approach as a preventive measure for falls. However, perhaps you can recommend to your facility that it should employ hazard elimination tactics, which can improve the effectiveness of the interventions already in place. For example, you can improve on lighting since the elderly are prone to eyesight issues. I also think that using slippery materials for flooring significantly increases the risk of falls. Therefore, ensuring that the materials used in making the floor are less slippery is an easy and effective way of preventing falls. I also propose that you recommend frequent fall risk audits that will ensure that risks are identified early and mitigated, which can be a useful secondary intervention measure.

References
Li F, Harmer P, Fitzgerald K. Implementing an evidence-based fall prevention intervention in community senior centers. American journal of public health. 2016;106(11): 2026-2031. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2016.303386.
Shell Point Retirement Community. 10 Shocking Statistics About Elderly Falls. Senior Health & Wellness Blog. 2012. Available at: https://www.shellpoint.org/blog/2012/08/13/10-shocking-statistics-about-elderly-falls/. Accessed June 10, 2018.
Tripken JL, Elrod CS, Bills S. The Design And Implementation Of a theory-Based Interdisciplinary Falls prevention Pilot Program For Community Dwelling Older Adults. American Journal of Health Studies. 2017; 32(4): 208-218.
Taing D, McKay K. Better Strength, Better Balance! Partnering to deliver a fall prevention program for older adults. Can J Public Health. 2017;108(3): 314-319. doi:10.17269/CJPH.108.5901
Osho O, Owoeye O, Armijo-Olivo S. Adherence and attrition in fall prevention exercise programs for community-dwelling older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Aging and Physical Activity. 2018;26: 304-326. https://doi.org/10.1123/japa.2016-0326.