Factors related to accidents and falls among older individuals.

Abstract

The number and percentage of older individuals in contemporary American society has risen dramatically during the past century. This has mandated that increased attention be given to older individuals and to developing strategies for improving the quality of life in their later years. Maintaining independence while growing older is a concern for individuals, families and society. Independent living frequently becomes a concern as health-related issues impact on individuals. Understanding how types of injuries and factors associated with their causes may help to reduce the risks associated with accidents in homes. In turn, this may help individuals to maintain their independence for as long as possible. Data are presented from a questionnaire study of 300 randomly selected older persons from Ohio. Accidents were found to be commonplace in homes. More women reported accidents than did men. Individuals living alone reported more accidents than did those living with others. Good health, gender and living status are factors that tend to prevent accidents or minimize their impact.

Facial trauma in geriatric patients in a selected Malaysian hospital

“…The treatment rendered in Seremban Hospital was conservative or closed reduction. This was in agreement with others studies which showed that the majority of the treatment remains non‐surgical 20,21 …”

“…19 Fallon et al showed in their study that most of the women who lived alone were more likely to be injured from falling in their homes and people living with someone else reported significantly fewer injuries than those living alone. 20 The aftermath of a fall in elderly people is sometimes quite frightening as the victims are often helpless and unable to get up from the floor. They would often lie on the floor until somebody found them, sometimes resulting in coma or even death.…”

“…This was in agreement with others studies which showed that the majority of the treatment remains non-surgical. 20,21 This was probably due to the patients themselves who were unwilling to undergo surgery, or were unfit for surgery due to medical problems and financial constraints. The most common medical problem in this cohort was hypertension and other cardiovascular dis-eases such as ischemic and valvular heart diseases, diabetes and respiratory problem in the form of bronchial asthma.…”

The Potential of Three Computer-Based Communication Activities for Supporting Older Adult Independent Living

“…Independence is a critical issue for many older adults, with their safety and health at risk as they try to cope with age-related issues [4,15]. Preventing or delaying the loss of independence should be a goal of people who care for older adults [15]. A Swedish study demonstrated considerable cost savings as well as benefits to older people and caregivers with the implementation of a home-based support system that used information and communication technology [5].…”

“…Such advances support an older adult's ability to live independently, likely increasing both the quality of the person's life as well as the length of time the person can live outside the costly realm of professional care. Independence is a critical issue for many older adults, with their safety and health at risk as they try to cope with age-related issues [4,15]. Preventing or delaying the loss of independence should be a goal of people who care for older adults [15].…”