Nearly a third of people over the age of 65 fall each year. Such falls can cause serious injury or even death. Most falls occur at home.
Some scientists have carried out a review of the results of studies with the aim of finding out which are the most advisable safety measures to reduce the risk of falls in the elderly at home.
The research is the work of the team of Lindy Clemson, professor emeritus at the University of Sydney in Australia.
Professor Clemson and her colleagues analyzed the results of 22 studies that included data on 8,463 older people.
Avoiding clutter (which promotes the risk of the person tripping over something), providing a handrail to stairs that do not have one and ensuring good lighting in all parts of the house, can together reduce the risk of falls from the elderly people at home in approximately a quarter, according to the conclusions reached in the aforementioned review of results.
Specifically, Clemson and his colleagues found that taking such steps to reduce fall hazards in the home lowers the overall rate of falls by 26%. This intervention usually includes an assessment of the trip hazards in the home and its surroundings, as well as recommendations to reduce the risk, for example, tidying up the space and adding handrails and non-slip treads to the steps. These measures produce a greater effect (38% fewer falls) in people at higher risk of suffering them. Based on their analyses, the review authors found that if 1,000 people who had previously experienced a fall followed these measures for about a year, the total number of falls would drop from 1,847 to 1,145.
A stair. (Photo: NPS)
Professor Clemson adds: “Having had a fall or starting to need help with activities of daily living are indicators of underlying risk factors, such as unsteady feet, impaired sense of reality or muscle weakness. These risk factors make it difficult for them to function in the environment and increase the risk of tripping or slipping in some situations.
“Research shows that, for people at risk of falls, being aware of fall hazards in and around the home, eliminating those hazards, and adapting with safe behaviors can significantly reduce fall risk. It seems that interventions to reduce the risk of falls in the home require certain elements of assessment and support to work, and not just a short list of things that have to be crossed off. So while everyone can tidy up their home environment and should exercise to maintain balance and lower extremity strength, the professional support of an occupational therapist is an important intervention for many people who live at home,” he continues. .
“We encourage all people, as they age, to reduce their fall hazard. Often it’s simple things like removing or replacing slippery mats, upgrading the lighting on your stairs, or decluttering your home. It seems that this is not always common sense. People tend not to notice the clutter in their own home or to realize that walking up stairs as they have always done poses a potential risk of falling, especially if their mobility or balance is no longer what it used to be,” he adds.
Although the review showed fewer falls with reduced hazards, there was not enough data to determine whether it led to fewer hospital admissions for a fall.
On the other hand, Clemson and colleagues found no convincing evidence for other measures to reduce falls, such as making sure older people have properly fitted glasses or wear special footwear.
Clemson concludes: “Preventing falls is a very important way to help people stay healthy and independent as they age, and our review also highlights the need for further research in this area.”
The review is entitled “Environmental interventions for preventing falls in older people living in the community”. And it has been published in the academic journal and database Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. (Source: Cochrane)