Abstract
BackgroundFalls are a common and debilitating health problem for older adults. Older adults are often treated and discharged home by emergency department (ED)-based providers with the hope they will receive falls prevention resources and referrals from their primary care provider. This descriptive study investigated falls prevention activities, including interactions with primary care providers, among community-dwelling older adults who were discharged home after presenting to an ED with a fall-related injury.MethodsWe enrolled English speaking patients, aged ≥ 65 years, who presented to the ED of an urban level one trauma center with a fall or fall related injury and discharged home. During subjects’ initial visits to the ED, we screened and enrolled patients, gathered patient demographics and provided them with a flyer for a Matter of Balance course. Sixty-days post enrollment, we conducted a phone follow-up interview to collect information on post-fall behaviors including information regarding the efforts to engage family and the primary care provider, enroll in a falls prevention program, assess patients’ attitudes towards falling and experiences with any subsequent falls.ResultsEighty-seven community-dwelling people between the ages of 65 and 90 were recruited, the majority (76%) being women. Seventy-one percent of subjects reported talking to their provider regarding the fall; 37% reported engaging in falls prevention activities. No subjects reported enrolling in a fall prevention program although two reported contacting falls program staff. Fourteen percent of subjects (n=12) reported a recurrent fall and 8% (7) reported returning to the ED after a recurrent fall.ConclusionsFindings indicate a low rate of initiating fall prevention behaviors following an ED visit for a fall-related injury among community-dwelling older adults, and highlight the ED visit as an important, but underutilized, opportunity to mobilize health care resources for people at high risk for subsequent falls.
Highlights
IntroductionOlder adults are often treated and discharged home by emergency department (ED)-based providers with the hope they will receive falls prevention resources and referrals from their primary care provider
Falls are a common and debilitating health problem for older adults
Findings indicate a low rate of initiating fall prevention behaviors following an emergency department (ED) visit for a fall-related injury among community-dwelling older adults, and highlight the ED visit as an important, but underutilized, opportunity to mobilize health care resources for people at high risk for subsequent falls
Summary
Older adults are often treated and discharged home by emergency department (ED)-based providers with the hope they will receive falls prevention resources and referrals from their primary care provider. A third of those 65 year of age or older fall; among this age group falls are the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries (Important Facts about Falls | Home and Recreational Safety | CDC Injury Center 2017). Low-tech community-based interventions that are evidence-based for falls prevention have been developed (Gillespie et al 2012) These programs typically result in 25–30% reductions in 1-year post-program falls (Gillespie et al 2012). They are increasingly deployed throughout the nation and are most often offered by public and private organizations that serve older adults
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
