Occupational therapy practitioners should consider screening their older adult clientele for fear of falling, anxiety, and depression because these states may lead to fall risk and activity restriction.

As part of a larger study on fall-related risk factors, this study investigated the relationship between living alone status and fall-related variables among community-dwelling adults who lived in a rural county in eastern North Carolina. A convenience sample of 666 community-dwelling adults ages 50 and over participated in this 4-year study and completed a fall questionnaire. Significant findings were found in relation to living alone status and experiencing a fall, who they informed about their fall, injuries, safety equipment, ambulatory devices, and personal emergency response system usage. Three hundred thirty-eight participants stated they lived alone, compared to 300 who lived with others. The percentage reporting a fall was appreciably larger for those living alone (52%) than for those living with others (48%) in both genders in all age groups except for the 61-70 year old adults where the percentage was less. Findings from this research enhance knowledge about the prevalence and contributing fall-related factors in adults who live alone compared to those who live with others. Insights gained from this research will assist community and public health leaders and health care professionals in developing more efficacious intervention strategies to prevent or reduce falls, and associated psychological and physical consequences.

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OBJECTIVE Fear of falling can lead to restricted activity, but little is known about how this fear affects different aspects of people’s lives. This study examined the relationship between fall-related efficacy (i.e., confidence or belief in one’s ability to perform activities without losing balance or falling) and activity and participation. METHOD We conducted a meta-analysis of studies comparing community-dwelling older adults’ fall-related efficacy to measures of activity or participation. RESULTS An examination of 20 cross-sectional and prospective studies found a strong positive relationship between fall-related efficacy and activity (r = .53; 95% CI [.47, .58]). An insufficient number of studies examining fall-related efficacy and participation were available for analysis. CONCLUSION Low fall-related efficacy may be an important barrier to occupational engagement for many older adults and warrants careful consideration by occupational therapists. Future research should explore interventions that target fall-related efficacy and examine their effects on activity performance and engagement.

Objectives. Using Maslach's Burnout Inventory (MBI), this study examined burnout among full-time staff occupational therapists including the extent of their burnout; how occupational therapists' burnout compared to four health care professions, and if type of health care setting impacts their level of burnout. Method. The MBI was mailed to each subject in the random sample (n = 3000) of occupational therapists who were American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) members. Results. Occupational therapists displayed a higher level of emotional exhaustion, and lower levels of depersonalization and personal accomplishment. Differences were found in the levels of occupational therapists' burnout when compared to four health care professions. Occupational therapists working in chronic care health care settings demonstrated higher levels of burnout than those working in other health care settings. Conclusion. The occupational therapist should strive to match their skills, interests, life style, and experience to the appropriate health care setting to promote a good person-environment fit to decrease burnout and promote quality patient care and personal health.