Falling in the Elderly: Causes, Risks, and Interventions

This article discusses the causes, risks, and interventions for falling in the elderly. It highlights the importance of physical therapy, home modifications, and medication management. The article also provides recommendations for caregivers and family members of elderly patients who have experienced a fall.

Running head: FALLING IN THE ELDERLY 1
Falling in the Elderly
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation

FALLING IN THE ELDERLY 2
Section 1
A. Mr. Ferguson has just experienced a fall an hour ago sustaining bruises and cuts on his
left leg and arm. The initial factor placing the patient at increased risk of falling is his advanced
age. People above the age of sixty years have weak bones which make them fall easily.
Advancement in age also comes with poor eyesight that makes an individual vulnerable to a fall.
The medical history of the patient also increases his chances of falling. COPD limits the
flow of air leading to respiratory distress. Additionally, the progression of the respiratory disease
restricts mobility from one location to the other (Oliveira et al., 2015). An individual with
difficulty in movement can stumble and fall. Mr. Ferguson has experienced chronic knee injury
which is another risk factor for falling. Osteoarthritis leads to degeneration of bones and joint
cartilages causing stiffness and pain on the knees.
The drugs of hypertension also increase the risk of falling. Mr. John uses beta blockers to
lower his hypertension. The drugs cause lightheadedness and dizziness when the patient is
standing upright (Park, Satoh, Miki, Urushihara, & Sawada, 2015). Therefore, Mr. Ferguson has
high falling chances after taking his medications. The patient weighs 75 kilograms and stands at
2.1 meters in height making his overweight. Obese and overweight individuals have difficulty of
supporting their body frames (Mitchell, Lord, Harvey, & Close, 2015). The case study also
indicates that the patient experiences shortness of breath which makes an individual to lose
balance on occasions. Mr. Ferguson also lacks a walking stick to have an aided movement.
B. The goals for the caregivers and the family members of John are to decrease the severity
and the number of falls that the patient experiences. The two stakeholders should achieve the
goals in three months.

FALLING IN THE ELDERLY 3
C. The first intervention for falling involves ambulatory measures. The caregivers should
ensure that John conducts physical therapy to improve his strength, gait, and balance.
Additionally, the physicians should consider minimizing or withdrawing the beta blockers to
reduce the side effects of the medications such as dizziness (Boyé et al., 2017). The family
members should modify the home environment to enhance free movement of the patient. The
patient's room should be well-lit to prevent stumbling on objects. The nurses should also
administer the supplements of vitamin D to strengthen the bones of Mr. Ferguson. The family
members should ensure that the floors are not slippery to prevent falling of the patient.
Nurses should also implement interventions at the hospital to prevent the incidences and severity
of the patient's falling. Health facilities should provide Mr. Ferguson with a walking stick to aid
him in movement. The patient should wear nonslip socks all the time to prevent slipping
(Hartung, & Lalonde, 2017). The hospital floors should remain dry to enhance fall-free
movement. Elderly patients like Mr. Ferguson should wear glasses to improve their sights.
Additionally, hearing aids help the patients to perceive an approaching object and avoid
stumbling on it. The caregivers should educate the family of the patient and the client about the
risks of falling and the prevention measures.
Section 2
Situation
Mr. John Ferguson is an 81-year-old patient who has experienced a fall an hour ago. The
patient sustained bruises and cuts on his left leg and arm. Additionally, the patient has a painful
and a swollen ankle due to the fall. The patient reports at the health facility in need of proper
interventions and recommendations to correct his situation.
Background

FALLING IN THE ELDERLY 4
The fall of the patient is as a result of numerous risk factors. The first cause is the advanced age
of the patient. Secondly, the patient lacks the walking stick putting him at risk of falling (Hoang
et al., 2016). COPD limits the ability of an individual to perform daily activities and move
around. The medications of hypertension make the patient dizzy and increase his chances of
falling. The patient is also overweight and finds difficulty in carrying his weight on his legs.
Assessment
The patient has a problem of breath shortness and falling. The first problem that causes
the falling is the weight of the patient. Secondly, the hypertension medications make the patient
experience lightheadedness. The lack of walking sticks also makes Mr. John vulnerable to
falling. The chronic knee pain due to osteoarthritis is another leading cause of collapsing due to
the degeneration of the bones.
Recommendations
The health facility should provide a walking stick to the patient to aid his movement. The
caregivers should keep the hospital floor dry to prevent falling. The family members should light
the room where the patient stays. The caregivers should also provide glasses to aid the sight of
the patient.

FALLING IN THE ELDERLY 5
References
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