Falls In Late Adulthood

According to the Joint Commission Resources-JCR (2005), there is no universally accepted definition of a fall. Thus several definitions have been floated over time in an attempt to define the same. One such definition of a fall is "an untoward event that results in the patient or resident coming to rest unintentionally on the ground or another lower surface" (Joint Commission Resources, 2005). Falls are regarded common causes of injury at every age. However, it is important to note that for seniors, falls can have serious consequences. This is more so the case given that a fall can bring about pain, trauma, or even death. With that in mind, the primary purpose of this program remains the reduction of falls and hence the aversion of related injuries amongst the concerned patients. Of key importance remains the identification of patients who appear to be at high risk of falling. This way, appropriate strategies can be developed to reduce the injuries related to inpatient falls.

In USA, one in three adults over age 65 suffer fall while 20% to 30% experience moderate to severe injuries (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010). In 2010, the cost of falls among elderly people for US health care system was over $30 billion (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010). Over the last few decades the rate of fall related deaths in USA has sharply been escalating. Many older adults have developed the fear of falling, limiting their social activity and forcing them to live in fear. Some adults suffer lacerations, fracture and trauma during fall, deteriorating their quality of life.

Anyone is at risk for a fall, however, falls are especially concerning in the older adult population.

Therefore, one could understand the importance of fall prevention among the elderly population in both the institutional and home settings. The following will discuss best practices to assist in the prevention of falls and geriatric syndromes.

Part B: Annotated Bibliography Article One: Why do hospitalized older adults take risks that may lead to falls? Citation: Haines, T. P., Lee, D. A., O'Connell, B., McDermott, F., & Hoffmann, T. (2015). Why do hospitalized older adults take risks that may lead to falls? Health Expectations, 18(2), 233-249.

It is seven forty-five. There are still a few precious minutes until bedtime. My younger sister and I have already dressed for bed, but our plot is to drag out every second we have left before eight o’clock. Only one thing remains for us to do to accomplish our mission: read. We beg our parents to read to us, and they, as predicted, agree. The two of us sprint to our shared bedroom in order to stare at the bookshelf. Two toddlers find it difficult to the correct book. We must choose a book that both of us will enjoy, we must choose a book on a shelf that one of us can actually reach, but most importantly, we must choose a lengthy book. So we, of course, choose the longest two books we can reach. I snatch a treasury of children’s stories, and my sister selects a treasury of Dora the Explorer stories. Never had we read either one of these in one sitting, but we regularly tried to push the boundaries just a bit farther.

In a classic definition, falls are untoward events which result in the person coming to rest unintentionally on the ground or another lower surface (Bok, et al., 2015). Falls, can be a devastating source of morbidity and mortality for the older adult. According to a Center for Disease Control (CDC) Report, “Falls Among the Older Adult,” more than one third of adults aged 65 and older fall each year in the United States and falls are the leading cause of injury deaths. Falls are also the most common cause of nonfatal injuries and hospital admissions for trauma in the older adult population (CDC Report). Unfortunately, the rate of fall-related deaths

Falls in the elderly is a significant health problem, which can lead to severe issues such as morbidity and mortality. The topic of falls within the elderly was chosen so that the many interventions, risks, and awareness strategies can be further explored within this paper. Throughout clinical practice I was intrigued by the number of patients that have fallen and the strategies that health care organizations take to prevent falls. However, I was concerned by the lack of awareness in the community related to falls in the elderly. The topic of falls in the elderly is multifactor in the sense that there are many intersectional factors that can result in falls. The significant impact of falls in the elderly and the consequences that falls have

Although older adults fall more frequently than younger people, falls are not considered as a normal part of aging. Falls and fall related injuries among older adults are major Public Health concern and represent significant reasons of mortality and morbidity in older populations. Koski et al., (1998) defines “fall” as a sudden, unintended loss of balance leaving the individual in contact with the floor or another surface such as a step or chair. Each year, approximately 1 in 3 persons aged 65 years or older fall and more than 1.6 million older U.S. adults go to emergency departments for fall-related injuries (Hyuma et al., 2013). Injuries related to fall are associated with significant disability, reduced independence and mobility, and increased risk of injury deaths. According to National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (2008), the major primary

A wide variety of theories and methods attempt to explain early childhood learning and development. Erickson and Maslow both have theories that focus on social and personality development, as well as a person’s motivation to learn throughout their lives. Their theories are helpful in understanding Jeannette Walls’ development of self. Erickson and Maslow also help clarify why her mother, father, and living in New York City were such influential factors in the development of Jeanette’s sense of self.

Falls are considered a leading cause of mortality and injury among older adults and majority of the falls occurs while hospitalized. One would think being in the hospital would be one of the safest places for older adults as far as fall prevention is concern due to the fact that hospitals provide staffing around the clock for patients but more and more falls have been occurring in the hospital especially in the older adult population. Fall is an unintended descent to the ground. It raises public and family care liability; it also decreases patient’s functioning because it causes pain and suffering, and increases medical costs (Saverino et al, 2015). The Center for Disease Control

Anybody can fall. However, statistically, seniors fall and end up in the hospital more than any other demographic. Worse, the severity of the injuries received by seniors is worse than those received in other age groups. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that falls in seniors over 65 are the number one cause of both fatal and nonfatal injuries. In addition to the falls themselves, millions of other seniors miss out on a high quality of life due to the fear of falling.

These injuries costed over $10 billion. Hip fractures are the most common injury in seniors over the age of 70 resulting from a fall. They can be fatal and very costly. Many of those who do not die from this injury end up in nursing homes. These injuries are not the only ones that can originate from a fall however. Other common injuries are broken arms, shoulders, legs, ribs, and even pelvis. Seniors take longer to heal from these injuries than others due to slower healing and weaker bones that comes with age. Overall, these injuries are costly and can reduce life expectancy. Those who are lucky enough to not suffer an injury suffer physiologic impacts. This causes them to become extra cautious all the time and they can no longer do as many things as they used to. Also, if a senior has experienced a fall before, they are more likely to experience another one in their lifetime.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) reported that more than one third of adults 65 and older fall each year. Half of the elderly people, who fall, do so repeatedly. Aside from the health problems related to falls, nearly $20 billion of direct medical costs are associated with fatal and non-fatal falls (Larson & Bergmann, 2008).

Legalizing marijuana may seem as a good idea for the government to do as it can generate more jobs, more money, and have many health benefits, but it also leads to other problems people do not realize. They say it helps you feel good and it is less harmful than alcohol and tobacco. Right now there are a few states that have legalized the use of marijuana, where the media shows the positive side effects of the plant being legalized, but disregards the negative side effects legalizing marijuana has. Throughout this essay, I will be persuading you on why marijuana should not be legalized. Marijuana should not be legalized for a few reasons. First, marijuana use has negative health side effects, second, it increases the chances of using other drugs, and finally, it endangers public safety. So instead of focusing the advantages marijuana has, it also has disadvantages on why it should still remain illegal.