Fall Prevention among the Elderly Living in a Community: the Nursing Role in Home Health Care
Keywords:
community-dwelling elderly, fall prevention, home health careAbstract
Falls among the elderly are considered a public health problem and appear to be on the rise due to an increase in the elderly population. Falls are the leading cause of injury, disability, or even death. Falls in elderly persons living in the community are caused by two critical factors: internal and external. Internal factors comprise physical factors and mental factors. External factors are those such as an unsafe physical environment, poorly lit area, etc. Falls affect the health of the elderly – physically, mentally, as well as socially. Furthermore, falls also affect the economy, especially the health service system. Establishing fall prevention measures is the role of community health nurses in home health care, and this includes assessment of elderly persons for fall risk factors, providing information about proper care for the elderly who take medication(s) and adequate diet, modifying environmental risk factors, and promoting exercise to strengthen their bodies.
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