Falls among older adults--Risk factors and prevention strategies.

Stevens, Judy A.  / 

Journal of Safety Research, Vol 36(4), 2005, 409-411.

ABSTRACT

Among people age 65 and older, falls are the leading cause of injury deaths. Fall risk factors are often categorized as personal or environmental.

Personal factors include characteristics of the individual (such as age, functional abilities, and chronic conditions) while environmental risk factors usually refer to fall hazards in and around the home (such as tripping hazards, unstable furniture, and poor lighting). After clinical assessment with risk factor reduction, the most effective single intervention was exercise.

Many seniors use psychoactive medications, specifically benzodiazepines, antidepressants, and sedatives/hypnotics, which increase the risk of falling.

Decreasing the use of multiple medications and specific types such as tranquilizers, sleeping pills, and anti-anxiety drugs, reduces the likelihood of falling. Home assessment and modification may be effective in reducing falls when done by trained professionals such as occupation therapists and when focused on high risk seniors.

Multi-component interventions may include risk factor screening; tailored exercise or physical therapy to improve gait, balance and strength; medication management; and other elements such as education about fall risk factors, referrals to health care providers for treatment of chronic conditions that may contribute to fall risk, and having vision assessed and corrected. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)


QUELLE:  http://psycnet.apa.org/psycinfo/2005-14635-012




Full Text / pdf / online im internet / Zugriff vom 06.10.2012:

http://www.ncoa.org/improve-health/center-for-healthy-aging/content-library/Review-Paper_Final.pdf#page=9





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