L10: Falls in Older People Part 1 Flashcards
What is a fall?
“….an unexpected event in which the participant comes to rest on the ground, floor, or lower level….”
What is an injurious fall?
considers only peripheral fractures of the limb girdles and limbs
What is the problem with falls?
Falls can cause secondary injuries include traumatic brain injury
- Falls –leading cause of TBIs in Australia
What is a slip?
A slip occurs due to the sliding of the supporting leg underneath you
What can trips and slips lead to?
Lead to a fall if balance is not regained
What are 3 examples of how a slip can occur?
- Slippery floors
- Ill-fitting footwear
- Bare foot (with loss tactile and sensory feedback)
What is a trip?
A trip occurs due to the impact of the swinging leg with an external object or body part….
Why are there differences between incidence of falls in different countries? What are 5 reasons?
- Infrastructure ○ Housing
- Average age of population of country (life expectancy)
- Physical activity levels
- Physical de-conditioning /inactivity - falls
- Access to healthcare
- Environmental factors Ice and snow in colder climates
____ are the leading cause of injury in adults >65 years.
Falls
Falls are ____ % of injury-related death
20
What is the most common injury as a result of a fall in the older population?
Hip fractures
What are 8 most common injuries requiring hospitalisation as a result of falls?
#
- hips
- pelvis
- leg
- radius
- ulna
- humerus
- neck
- ribs
Why is the fractured neck of femur the most serious injury due to a fall?
Damage to femoral artery = avascular necrosis (blood supply is cut off to the bone)
What are 3 problems with fractures due to falls?
- Damage to femoral artery
- Avascular necrosis
- Death
- Poor recovery/mobility
What occurred in this image?
Incorrect weight shifting while walking forward
Tried avoid stepping on the dog
What occurred in this image?
Trip while walking forward
What occurred in this image?
Trip while walking and turning In sufficient cross over step
What occurred in this image?
Incorrect weight shift while standing and turning
Turned the body before the frame
- Affected weight shift and posture
What occurred in this image?
Loss of support with external object when sitting down No breaks on wheelchair when sitting
What are 3 characteristics of the retrospective process of recording falls?
- No. falls over defined period of time
- Usually 12mths
- ↓ accuracy in recalling falls over prolonged period
What are 3 characteristics of the prospective process of recording falls?
- Individuals followed up for a period
- Usually 12mths
- ↑ accuracy in determining incidence of falls
What are 4 recommendations when reporting falls?
- Prospective daily recording and notification system
- Minimum of monthly reporting
- Missing data –telephone or face-to-face interview
- Circumstances of falls determined with additional questions
- Location of falls
- How did you fall
- Signs and symptoms
- Any injuries
What is a long lie?
“…remaining on the ground or floor for more than an hour after a fall…”
What are 3 things that long lie a marker for?
- weakness
- illness
- social isolation
What are 6 things that the time spent on the floor in a long lie is associated with?
- Fear of falling
- Muscle damage (impact on ground)
- Hypothermia
- Pneumonia
- Pressure sores (unable to adjust body)
- Dehydration/malnutrition
What is the problem with a long lie?
High mortality rates
50% of those who lie on the floor for ≥1hr die within 6mths (even if no direct injury from fall)
What are 8 falls risk factors?
- Medication
- Sensory and neuromuscular
- Gait characteristics
- Psychological
- Postural Stability
- Environmental
- Medical
- Demographic
What are 3 demographic risk factors for falls?
- Gender
- Age
- Race/Ethnicity
What are 3 statistics/characteristics of gender as a demographic risk factors?
- Fall rates higher in community-dwelling women (40%) vs men (28%)
- Women: ↑rate of non-fatal injuries &hospitalisation
- Decline in function following a fall
- Men:↑rate of fatal falls
What are 2 statistics/characteristics of age as a demographic risk factors?
- Fall rates ↑exponentially >65 years of age
- Falls-related mortality ↑in those >80 years
What is a statistic/characteristic of race/ethnicity as a demographic risk factors?
Higher rate of falls in White populations vs Japanese, Blacks, Americans, Hispanics, & Asian/Pacific Islanders
Why is there a higher rate of women with non-fatal injuries and hospitalisation?
Neuromuscular balance is worst in women than men