Voices of senior rural men and women on falls and fall-related injuries: “If I fall outside and get hurt, what would I do?”

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis qualitative study examined the falls and fall-related injury experiences of community-dwelling rural seniors. 42 senior men and women living in two rural areas in Saskatchewan, Canada were recruited, and in-depth interviews were conducted. Analysis revealed three main themes among responses: nature of falls and injuries, causes of falls and injuries, and consequences of falls and injuries. Men and women expressed a fear of falling, which led to activity limitations; however, women were more reflective on their potential to fall and showed an increased level of preparedness compared to men. The causes of falls included activities at the time of a fall, functional limitations, chronic diseases, and personal factors such as type shoes worn. While men and women downplayed the seriousness of their falls or injuries, indicating a level of hardiness, this trend was stronger among men. None of the participants discussed the role of health care professionals or the health care system in relation to fall risk and ways of preventing falls, despite reporting adaptations to prevent and deal with consequences of falls. Overall, these findings may allude to the scarcity of health care services provided in rural communities, highlighting a need to focus on falls prevention for community-dwelling rural seniors.