Scholarly Articles of Interest
Fall Prevention in Older Adults
By Scott J. Saccomano, PhD, RN, GNP-BC and Lucille R. Ferrara, EdD, MBA, RN, FNP-BC |
Approximately one third of individuals fall each year, rising to 50% by the age of 80. Falls in older adults are a major public health concern and can often have fatal results.
Practitioners need to be aware of risk factor assessment and diagnostic techniques to prevent falls in older adults. This article reviews the multifactorial pathophysiology of falls, and important assessments available to determine fall risk and measures that should be taken to reduce that risk. |
Fall Prevention in Community-Dwelling Older Adults
Roberston, 2013 |
The pathology of falling in older adults is multifactorial, therefore the interventions must also be. This review article of 159 randomized control trials investigated the interventions that reduced the amount of falls. The picture below shows a significant reduction in falls from several types of interventions. Home based exercise programs and home safety assessment and modification for higher risk subjects were associated with lower fall rates. Vitamin D supplementation was not associated with lower fall rates, unless there there were lower Vitamin D levels initially.
|
Prevalence and correlates of participation in fall prevention exercise/physical activity by older adults
Dafna Meroma et al, 2012 |
This article addresses the knowledge gap that exists about fall prevention within the aging population. A survey was conducted to reveal low participation in balance and strength activities that focus on preventing falls. Of the 5,681 people, older than 65 years, only 21% reported adhering to public health recommendations. These results are evident that population based approaches and strategies are needed for these high risk groups to address the problem of falls.
|
Current News Articles of Interest
Falls Cause Most Accidental Deaths in Elderly Americans
Megan Brooks, 2015 |
The increasing rate of falls is cause for public health concern. During 2012-2013, 90,640 adults aged 65 years or older died from unintentional injuries and 55% of these injury deaths were due to falls. From 2000-2013, the age-adjusted fall injury death rate among the elderly nearly doubled, from 29.6 to 56.7 per 100,000. Since the majority of falls are preventable, action must be taken to reduce the increasing burden of the aging population on society.
|
Technology For Elite Runners Can Also Help Seniors Walk Without Fear Of Falling
Christina Anderson, 2015 |
A physical therapy office uses gait analysis as a tool to improve walking strength in the senior population that is at risk for falling. The program allows the subject to self monitor their gate and make adjustments immediately with feedback. This therapy addresses one aspect of why people might fall and could be useful in assessment of risk, but it should not be the sole therapy in prevention due to the complex nature of falling pathophysiology.
|
Researchers Go High Tech to Combat Falls Among Seniors
Natasha Egan, 2015 |
A mobile device application, Standing Tall, was created to help seniors improve their balance at home. The app has features that address participant adherence with interactive video and plenty of feedback and motivational strategies. It is currently being tested with 500 participants aged 70 and over, with 250 in the control and 250 in the experimental group. With weekly feedback and progressive balance tasks, the question remains as to whether this will reduce falls in the elderly population.
|