Preventing Falls, Fractures and
Broken Bones in Elders
presented by
Ijeoma Oranefo
January 19, 2011
Elderly Fall
arthritisfoundationwpa.wordpress.com
Introduction
• Falls are serious at any age, and
breaking a bone after a fall
becomes more likely as a person
ages. The fracture limits the
person’s activities and sometimes
requires surgery.
Causes of Elderly Falls
• Lack of physical activity
• Impaired vision.
• Medications.
• Diseases.
• Surgeries
• Environmental hazards.
Marlo Sollitto
physical activity
Why is elderly fall a concern?
• Falls are the leading cause of death, injury
and hospital admissions among the elderly
population. In fact, one out of every three
seniors falls every year. more than 1.6
million seniors were treated in emergency
rooms for fall-related injuries.
Healthy people 2020 Goal
• OA HP2020–1
Reduce the proportion of older adults who
have moderate to severe functional
limitations.
• OA HP2020–8
• Increase the proportion of older adults with
reduced physical or cognitive function who
engage in light, moderate, or vigorous
leisure-time physical activities
Healthy people 2020 Goal
cont’d
• OA HP2020–9
• Reduce the rate of emergency department
visits due to falls among older adults.
National statistic
According to CDC
• In 2009, 2.2 million nonfatal fall injuries
among older adults were treated in
emergency departments and more than
581,000 of these patients were hospitalized.
• In 2007, over 18,000 older adults died from
unintentional fall injuries.
National statistic cont’d
• In 2000, direct medical costs of falls totaled
a little over $19 billion—$179 million for
fatal falls and $19 billion for nonfatal fall
injuries.5
Michigan statistic
• Between 1990 and 2004, the age-adjusted death rate
due to elderly falls nearly doubled, from 20.2 to
38.3 per 100,000.
• In 2004, falls caused 79% of hospitalizations for
injury among Michigan residents aged 65 and older.
Most of the injuries sustained were fractures,
specifically, hip fractures
• 27% of Michigan seniors reported falling
within the past 12 months.
Local statistic
• in 2002 Detroit has 69.7% of unintentional
fall among residents between the age of 65
and above.
www.michigan.gov/documents/MI_Injury_Hospitalization_2002_126520_7.pdf
Role of Public Health/Community Health
Nurses
Setting
• The public health/ community health
nurse will teach and create awareness
within the community, St John Riverview
senior program, and hospital the
importance of fall safety in relation to a
healthy lifestyle.
Role of Public
Health/Community Health
Nurses setting Cont.
• The audience are seniors attending St John
Riverview senior program, and Detroit senior
residents. As well as any one in the community.
Preventions
Primary level:
• Early identification of seniors at risk for fall
• Identifying the predisposing factors that expose them to fall.
• Educate the population about the causes of falls.
(Maurer & Smith, 2009)
How to Prevent Seniors from
Falling
• Be Physically Active
• Have Medicines Reviewed
• Have Blood Pressure Checked When Lying
and Standing
• Get a Vision Check-up
• Choose Safe Footwear
Preventions
Secondary level:
Diagnose for injuries at the onset
Schedule screening programs
Supply the community with available resources
where they can get further help.
Preventions cont.
Tertiary Care Prevention:
• Seniors will be educated on how to manage fall
related injuries to avoid complications of falls
related injuries.
• Reinforce the importance of compliance with the
treatment regimen.
Core functions of Public Health
• Assessment:
– Detroit Senior residents attending St John
Riverview senior program
– Assess the need for fall prevention among the
senior residents.
Core functions of Public Health
• policy development:
– C/PHN will collaborate with law makers and
management of the program to develop appropriate,
adequate, standards, and acceptable health care
service for fall prevention among the seniors.
– Advocate on behalf of the community and refer
them to source of assistance.
Core functions of Public Health
• Policy development (Cont.):
CHN may suggest to the management to
encourage the seniors to
– Install safety bars, grab bars or handrails in the
shower or bath at home.
– Make sure their rooms have adequate lighting,
and consider motion-sensitive lights that come
on when a person enters a room.
Nursing process
Interventions
• Educate the community on the importance
of making sure that stairs are sturdy with
strong hand railings.
• Educate the community to avoid clutter.
Remove any furniture that is not needed,
and to all remaining furniture be stable and
without sharp corners. This is to minimize
the effects of a fall.
• Use night lights in every room.
Intervention cont.
• To wipe up spills and remove broken glass
immediately.
• To wear non-slip shoes or slippers, rather
than walking around in stocking feet.
• To make sure rugs, including those on
stairs, are tacked to the floor.
• To be sure that stairwells are well-lit to aid
vision.
• Not to have electrical cords trailing across
the floor. And to have additional base plugs
installed so long cords are not necessary.
Core functions of Public Health
• Assurance:
– To improve the quality of healthcare
for senior residents.
– Refer patients to community
resources where they can get further
assistance.
References
• Stevens JA. Falls among older adults–risk factors and
prevention strategies. NCOA Falls Free: Promoting a
National Falls Prevention Action Plan. Research Review
Papers. Washington &340;DC)&358; The National
Council on the Aging; 2005a.
• Stevens JA, Sogolow ED. Gender differences for non-fatal
unintentional fall related injuries among older adults.
Injury Prevention 2005b;11:115–9.
• Hornbrook MC, Stevens VJ, Wingfield DJ, Hollis JF,
Greenlick MR, Ory MG. Preventing falls among
community–dwelling older persons: results from a
randomized trial. The Gerontologist 1994:34(1):16–23.
References Cont.
• Sterling DA, O'Connor JA, Bonadies J. Geriatric falls:
injury severity is high and disproportionate to mechanism.
Journal of Trauma–Injury, Infection and Critical Care
2001;50(1):116–9.
• Healthy people 2020
http://www.healthypeople.gov/hp2020/Objectives/TopicAr
ea.aspx?id=37&TopicArea=Older+Adults
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National
Center for Injury Prevention and Control.
Web–based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (
WISQARS)
[online]. Accessed November 30, 2010
References Cont.
• http://www.michigan.gov/documents/Fast_
Facts_About_Older_Adult_Falls_in_Michig
an_167793_7.pdf
• Bell AJ, Talbot-Stern JK, Hennessy A. Characteristics and
outcomes of older patients presenting to the emergency
department after a fall: a retrospective analysis. Medical
Journal of Australia 2000;173(4):176–7.
References Cont.
• Hausdorff JM, Rios DA, Edelber HK. Gait
variability and fall risk in community–
living older adults: a 1–year prospective
study. Archives of Physical Medicine and
Rehabilitation 2001;82(8):1050–6.
• http://www.michigan.gov/documents/MI_In
jury_Hospitalizations_2002_126520_7.pdf
Reference Evaluation
• I got my entire information from a reliable
website and articles. It actually discussed
my topic in details, which gave me a good
knowledge of the issue at hand. As well as
health people 2020, which emphases on the
healthy standard of living, people should
embark on.
