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Utilization of the seniors falls investigation methodology to identify system-wide causes of falls in community-dwelling seniors
- Authors:
- ZECEVIC Aleksandra A., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Gerontologist, 49(5), October 2009, pp.685-696.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
The aim of this study was to look at safety deficiencies found during fifteen investigations of falls among older people living in a naturally occurring retirement community in Ontario. Rather than viewing each case study from the more traditional person-centred perspective, a six step systems approach, the Senior Falls Investigation Methodology (SFIM), adapted from a technique commonly used for industrial or transportation accidents, was developed by the authors to identify common patterns of safety deficiencies and causes. The falls were found to be the result of latently unsafe conditions, decisions and actions over a diverse set off circumstances, which if not identified and removed could cause falls for other older people in the future. Compelling evidence was generated that causes of falling
Defining a fall and reasons for falling: comparisons among the views of seniors, health care providers, and the research literature
- Authors:
- ZECEVIC Aleksandra A., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Gerontologist, 46(3), June 2006, pp.367-376.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
The purpose of this Canadian study was (a) to obtain information about the perceptions held by seniors and health care providers concerning what constitutes a fall and potential reasons for falling, and (b) to compare these perceptions to the research literature. As part of a larger telephone survey, interviewers asked 477 community-dwelling seniors to define a fall and to provide reasons for falling. In addition, 31 health care providers from the community were interviewed on the same topics. In order to capture patterns in conceptualized thinking, content analysis was used to develop codes and categories for a fall definition and reasons for falling. Selected articles were reviewed in order to obtain a comprehensive overview of fall definitions currently used in the research and prevention literature. The results found that a fall had different meanings for different groups. Seniors and health care providers focused mainly on antecedents and consequences of falling, whereas researchers described the fall event itself. There were substantial differences between the reasons for falling as reported by seniors and the risk factors as identified in the research literature. The authors conclude that if not provided with an appropriate definition, seniors can interpret the meaning of a fall in many different ways. This has the potential to reduce the validity in studies comparing fallers to nonfallers. Research reports and prevention programs should always provide an operational definition of a fall. In communication between health care providers and seniors, an appropriate definition increases the possibility for early detection of seniors in greater need of care and services.