Page 9 - Preventing Falls: How to Develop Community-based Fall Prevention Programs for Older Adults
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INTrODuCTION
understanding fall
risk factors
Falls are not an inevitable consequence
of aging. However, falls do occur more
often among older adults because fall risk
factors increase with age. A fall risk factor
is something that increases a person’s
chances of falling. This may be a biological
characteristic, a behavior, or an aspect of the
environment. These risk factors include:
Biological risk factors
– Muscle weakness or balance problems
– Medication side effects and/or Home or environmental risk factors play a role
interactions in about half of all falls (Bergen et al., 2008).
– Chronic health conditions such as Understanding these risk factors is the first
arthritis and stroke step to reducing older adult falls. Over the
– Vision changes and vision loss past two decades, researchers around the
world have identified fall risk factors and used
– Loss of sensation in feet
randomized controlled trials (RCT), to test fall
Behavioral risk factors interventions. RCTs are considered the “gold
– Inactivity standard” for evaluating an intervention’s
– Risky behaviors such as standing on a effectiveness. The results of these studies
chair in place of a step stool show that reducing fall risk factors
– Alcohol use significantly reduces falls among community-
dwelling older adults—that is, people living
Environmental risk factors independently in the community.
– Clutter and tripping hazards
Many older adults, as well as their family
– Poor lighting members and caregivers, are unaware of
– Lack of stair railings factors or behaviors that put them at risk of
– Lack of grab bars inside and outside falling. They are also unaware of actions they
the tub or shower can take to reduce their risk. Fall risk factor
assessment is rarely part of an older adult’s
– Poorly designed public spaces
routine health care, even if they have had a
Usually two or more risk factors interact to fall or fall injury. All older adults should be
cause a fall (such as poor balance and low encouraged to seek an individual fall risk
vision) (Rubenstein and Josephson 2006). The assessment from their health care providers,
more risk factors a person has, the greater especially older adults with a history of falls
their chances of falling (Tinetti et al., 1986). and/or with mobility or balance problems
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