Falls Flashcards
What is the definition of a fall?
Unintentionally coming to the ground or some lower level and other than as a consequence of sustaining a violent blow, loss of consciousness, sudden onset of paralysis as in a stroke or an epileptic seizure.
What accounts for 75% of falls?
Slips, trips and imbalance
What is the rate of falls in community dwelling adults > 65 years of age?
1 in 3. 10-20% multiple fallers
What is the rate of falls in people living in residential aged care facilities?
1 in 2
How many NOF fractures occurred in Australia in 2016?
22,000
What percentage of hospitalisation is contributed to falls in older adults? How many of these suffer medical treatment?
50%
30%
What are the likelihood of each outcome after a hip fracture due to a fall?
- 50% discharged to nursing homes
- 25% never regain their pre-fracture mobility
- 25% die within 12 months
What are the psychosocial and demographic risk factors for falls in older adults?
- Advanced age
- History of falls
- ADL limitations
- Inactivity
- Female gender
- Fear of falling
- Living alone
What are the medical risk factors for falls in older adults?
- Stroke
- Parkinson’s disease
- Impaired cognition
- Depression
- Incontinence
- Acute illness
- Arthritis and foot problems
- Neurological problems
What medications increase the risk of falls in older adults?
- Centrally acting medications (sleeping, anxiety, antidepressants)
- Use of more than four medications
- BP medications
What are the environmental risk factors for falls in older adults?
- Poor footwear
- Inappropriate eyewear
- Home hazards
What are the sensory and motor risk factors of falls in older adults?
- Poor vision
- Muscle weakness
- Poor reaction time
- Reduced vestibular function
What are the balance and mobility risk factors for falls in older adults?
- Impaired gait and mobility
- Impaired ability with sit to stand
- Poor balance in standing
- Poor balance when leaning and reaching
- Slow voluntary stepping
What are the three main components for balance?
- Sensory input: loss of sensation
- Central processing: neurological changes
- Motor response: loss of power
What is the role of the spinal cord in processing?
Initial reception and processing of somatosensory information (from the muscles, joints and skin), and reflexes and voluntary control of posture and movement via motor neurons.
What role does the brain stem play?
Nuclei involved in postural control, locomotion, vestibular nuclei,
- ascending and descend pathways (transmitting sensory and motor information)
What occurs at the cerebellum?
Receives input from spinal cord and the cerebral cortex, sends information to the brain stem, modulates motor behaviour.
What is the role of the basal ganglia?
It sits at the base of the cortex and receives input from most areas of the cortex and then sends information to the motor cortex via the thalamus.
What occurs at the somatosensory cortex?
Beginning of conscious awareness of somatosensation
What increase occurs in simple reaction time from the age of 20 to 60? What is this change contributed to?
25% increase.
Neurological changes.
What do deficits in the basal ganglia affect?
Can affect initiation and control of movement
What can cerebellar disorders cause?
Disequilibrium and altered interlimb coordination
What basic cognitive functions are most affected by age?
- Attention
- Memory