The Frequency of Falling Elderly and Evaluation of the Behavioral Factors Related to Preventing the Falls

Abstract

Present study was carried out to determine the frequency of fall in people over the age of 60 years and to evaluate the awareness of and behaviors related to the prevention of fall among elderly people. A total of 724 individuals including 164 elderly people from nursing homes and 560 elderly people living at their home were included in the study group. The “Falls Behavioral Scale for Older People” was used to evaluate the presence or absence of protective behaviors from falls. The frequency of falls in the last year was 28.3%. Univariate analysis showed the gender, number of children, number of male and female children, number of chronic diseases, the drug use, obesity and use of walker to be associated with the falls (for each; p < 0.05). The awareness and behaviors related to the prevention of potential falls in elderly individuals -who did not fall in the last year- were found to be significantly higher in sub-domains of cognitive adaptation, safe movements, avoidance, awareness, rashness, change in the activity plans, mindfulness, level changes and reaching to the telephone (for each; p < 0.05). Results of study suggest that falls are common problem among elderly people and the behavioral factors related to prevent the falls during daily activities were found to be associated with the falling in elderly who had fall in the last year from any reason.

Keywords

• Falls; elderly; nursing home