Viktorija Piščalkienė, Rima Januškevičiūtė, Julius Dovydaitis

Abstract

Problems of the senescent community create the health, social and economic challenges. It is very important to evaluate them in time and to assume purposive measures for keeping good health and ensure healthy aging. Falls are very often meet problem in elderly. Risk of falls and balance evaluation in time is effective presumption for keeping health good . Aim of the article. To evaluate risk factors and influence of them on the falls in elderly. Searching methods: Observation and questionnaire in written form. By observation in respondent′s homes fall risk factors were evaluated (0-absent; 1- are). Questionnaire was used to evaluate influence of the fall risk factors at home and in public places. Mors Fall Scale was used too. Respondents. In the undenominational and purposive way there are selected 350 elderly people (60 year old and older). Results. In the period of the last year more then half of the respondents are experiented falls. The age of respondents had no influence on falls, thats mean, that the younger and older elderly people experiented fall. Fear of falling felt all respondents. The least fear was felt of respondents before 70 year old. The most often meet in the home surrounding fall risk factors were: unattached and sliding carpets, slippery flooring in the living rooms, toilets, bathrooms, absence of holders in the shower or bath, high placed shelfs, insuffitient ligthening before incoming door. Main fall risk factors in public places were: sliding and unclean surfaces of the streets and common public spaces. All of the risk factors are dangerous becouse all respondents are experienced falls (p≤0,05). Mors Falls Scale results show that more than half respondents had risk to fall. Experiented falls in last year are statistically significant and related to Mors Falls Scale results (p≤0,05). People who had mental disorders, neurological, moving, urogenital, digestive problems, more often experienced falls in comparing with those who havent such problems (p≤0,05)

Keyword(s): elderly; fall; Morse Fall Prevention and Management scale.
DOI: 10.5200/sm-hs.2015.081
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