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Preventing Falls Among Older Adults

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Environment & Exercise Level: Lighting status, tripping obstacles /hazards in or ... Regular exercise/physical activity 2-3 times/week? Footwear & Flooring: ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: Preventing Falls Among Older Adults


1
Preventing Falls Among Older Adults
WHAM
2
WHAM
  • What risks are observed on scene?
  • How can we keep from coming back?
  • Action to take to prevent future injuries
  • Materials/messages to leave behind

3
Falls Among Older Adults
  • An older adult dies every hour because of a fall
  • Greatest cause of injury and injury
    hospitalizations in US and Washington State
  • Those who fall are 2-3 times more likely to fall
    again
  • Falls are a major threat to the health and
    independence of older adults

4
Older Adult Fall Risk Factors
  • Chronic health conditions
  • Physical functional impairments
  • Medication alcohol use
  • Environmental hazards

Fall risk increases with the number of risk
factors present
5
ABCs of Why Older Adults Fall (usually more
than one risk factor is present)
  • Age, Ambulatory status, Assistive device use (or
    need)
  • Age gt 65, 75, or 85?
  • Able to stand up from a chair without using their
    arms? (indicative of lower extremity
    strength/joint function)
  • Able to stand, walk 8-10 feet, turn around and
    sit down without assistance of another person?
  • Balance
  • Self assessment of balance correlates with
    objective balance assessment
  • Can patient stand on 1 foot for 10 seconds
    without any type of support?
  • Vision and hearing status intact? (vision /or
    hearing deficits weaken balance)
  • Chronic Conditions Cognition
  • More than 3 chronic conditions? (arthritis,
    diabetes, hypertension, etc) also dementia
  • Drugs
  • Medication (prescription OTC) and/or alcohol
    usage in previous 1-24 hrs?
  • Cardiovascular, antidepressant major
    tranquilizer meds increase fall risk
  • Environment Exercise Level
  • Lighting status, tripping obstacles /hazards in
    or outside home? (includes pets, steps, ladders)

6
What risks are observed on scene?
  • You are on-scene with a 78-year old female who
    was found on the floor by a neighbor. She is
    uninjured and only needs help to a chair. She
    says she accidentally tripped and didnt have
    the strength to get herself up.

7
How can we keep from coming back?
8
Action to take to prevent further injuries
  • Make appropriate recommendations based on your
    observations
  • Remove or secure loose rugs
  • Recommend a handrail that extends the length of
    the stairs
  • Advise patient to wear sturdy shoes with non-slip
    soles (not athletic shoes)
  • Encourage patient to talk to healthcare provider
    about
  • prescription drug review
  • strength, balance and flexibility exercises
  • vision screening
  • falls risk assessment

9
Materials to leave behind
  • Utilize WHAM folder from rig
  • CDC Check for Safety booklet
  • CDC What You Can Do To Prevent Falls booklet
  • Washington Poison Center Prevention Treatment
    Guide for older adults
  • Dial 2-1-1 (local referrals for assistance)
  • Medical history form to post on fridge, if
    available from your department

10
Further info on Older Adult Falls
  • Join the Pierce County Falls Prevention Coalition
    (253-627-5144)
  • Links
  • CDC Senior Falls Prevention Toolkit--www.cdc.gov/
    ncipc/duip/fallsmaterial.htm
  • NorthWest Orthopaedic Institute--
  • www.nwoi.org

11
WHAM developed by Central Pierce Fire
RescueCity of DuPont Fire DepartmentGig Harbor
Fire Medic OneSafe Kids Pierce
CountyTacoma-Pierce County Health Dept.
Technical Assistance from NorthWest
Orthopaedic Institute
Funding fromWest Region EMS Trauma Care
Council
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