Search results for ‘Author:"pighills alison"’ Sort:
Results 1 - 2 of 2
A critical review of the effectiveness of environmental assessment and modification in the prevention of falls amongst community dwelling older people
- Authors:
- PIGHILLS Alison, et al
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 79(3), 2016, pp.133-143.
- Publisher:
- Sage
Introduction: The potential of environmental assessment and modification to reduce falls has recently received attention within the gerontology literature. Research investigating the clinical effectiveness of this intervention in falls prevention reports conflicting results. Discrepancies are due to variation in the risk profile of study participants and the health care background of the person providing the environmental intervention or the intensity of the intervention provided. Method: The purpose of this paper is to compare and contrast two systematic reviews, which include meta-analyses, of environmental interventions for falls prevention in community dwelling older people, using the critical appraisal skills programme tool for systematic reviews. Finding:s Both reviews found that: environmental assessment and modification was effective in falls prevention; intervention was effective with high but not low risk participants; and that high intensity environmental assessment was effective, whereas low intensity intervention was not. Environmental interventions which were delivered by occupational therapists were deemed high intensity, probably because their underpinning theoretical frameworks focus on the impact of the environment on function. Conclusion: The authors discuss possible reasons why occupational therapist led environmental assessment and modification is clinically effective in falls prevention, for people at high risk of falls, whereas non occupational therapist led intervention is not. (Edited publisher abstract)
Pre-discharge home visits with older people: time to review practice
- Authors:
- MOUNTAIN Gail, PIGHILLS Alison
- Journal article citation:
- Health and Social Care in the Community, 11(2), March 2003, pp.146-154.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Uses available evidence to make a case for reconsideration of the practice of pre-discharge home visits with frail older people as part of decisions regarding a return home, which is embedded into the routine activity of acute medical wards for older people and occupies a large proportion of the time of hospital employed therapy staff, with consequent financial and resource implications. Assessments are often conducted to provide information on safe discharge rather than being located in the interests of the older person and their carer. The introduction of a new range of services bridging hospital and home raises the need for urgent critical appraisal.