FACTORS CAUSING HOME FALL-RELATED ACCIDENTS IN AN ELDERLY COMMUNITY

• Main Authors: Mislaine C. de Lima Lopes, Mara Rúbia Violin, Ana Paula Lavagnoli, Sônia Silva Marcon
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade Federal do Paraná 2007-12-01
• Series: Cogitare Enfermagem
• Subjects: Accidental falls; Health education; Patient care team
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.5380/ce.v12i4.10073

Fall-related accidents involving the elderly in their own homes are rather frequent and might lead to several sequels oreven death, depending on the degree of seriousness. This descriptive-exploratory study aims to identify the most frequent causes ofhome fall-related accidents with elderly people in a town in the northeast of Paraná State, Brazil. Data were collected by means of asemi-structured interview with 20 elderly women, predominant ages between 60 and 70, low educational level (incomplete junior highschool). Among the participants, 11 (55%) have suffered at least one type of home fall-related accidents in the last 10 years. Most fallshappened due to slippery wet ground. Although the participants were aware of the factors that caused their accidents, the obstacles stillremain in their environment. It is believed that the causes of these accidents can be eliminated by performing some adjustments in homesettings as well as a change of habits on the part of the elderly and their families.