Relationship of Falls and Fall-Related outcomes among older adults in nursing homes

Abstract

Background and aim: Elderly people living in the community frequently experience falls and fall-related injuries. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of falls, fear of falling, and their impact on depression among elderly people in nursing homes.
Material and methods: A total of 125 nursing home residents were enlisted to participate in the study. Personal interviews with patients and examinations of hospital medical records were used to gather data. Three assessment instruments were used: a personal characteristics questionnaire, clinical characteristics and findings from the evaluation of functional dependence, depression, and the severity of cognitive impairment.
Results: Twenty-six percent of adults 65 and older reported at least one fall in the previous six months, and 32 percent of adults 65 and older reported at least one fall-related injury. The Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), Barthel Index (BI), Functional Ambulation (FA), and Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) results showed positive correlations with the number of falls, falls-related injuries, and fear of falling. Compared to older adults without functional disabilities, those with these difficulties reported a higher percentage of falls and injuries from falls (p=0.041). Additionally, there was a significant difference between participants who used devices and those who did not in terms of the frequency of falls, fall-related injuries, and fear of falling.
Conclusion: Our findings indicate that age, MMSE, FA, depression, and the reduction of functional dependence were correlated with falls, fall-related injuries, and fear of falling.