Turkish Journal of Geriatrics 2005 , Vol 8, Issue 2
THE FREQUENCY OF FALLS IN ELDERLY INDIVIDUALS LIVING IN NARLIDERE REST HOME AND THE EVULATION OF THE AFFECTING FACTORS
Öznur USTA YEŞİLBALKAN, Ayfer KARADAKOVAN
Ege Üniversitesi Hemşirelik Yüksekokulu İç Hastalıkları Hemşireliği Anabilim Dalı The Objective: This research was planned to determine the frequency of falls in elderly individuals who lived in Narlıdere Rest And Nursing Home, the factors causing these falls, the types of injuries resulted from falls and the complications emerged associated with these falls.
Patients and Methods: Research was carried out on 232 volunteer elderly individuals who lived in the institution mentioned above between the dates of 1 September and 1 December 2002, who fell in the study limits and who consented to participate in the study. Before research was initiated institute’s written approval was obtained.
Data were collected by using a survey form consisted of total 19 questions which contained questions related to falls and socio- demographic variables developed by researcher.
The number and percentage distributions of socio- demographic and falls-related variables which were included in the survey form were calculated and chi-quare significance test was used to study the relationship between dependent-independent variables.
Results: Of the elderly individuals included in the scope of research, 62.5%were women, 62.5% stated that they came to rest and nursing home with their own will. When elderly individuals’ status of fall was investigated 48.7% repoerted falls, when the frequency of falls was studied 53.9% reported falls more than one. Nearly half of the elderly individuals (42.6 %) reported falls during taking walks on the street and 36.2% reported that they fell due to dizziness. It was identified that in 31.8% of the elderly individuals who experienced falls, fractures occured.
Conclusion: As a result of the findings obtained it is thought that to take preventive precautions toward factors that cause fall of elderly individuals, would be benefical in increasing the quality of life of the elderly individuals and in getting daily living activities accomplished by the independently. Keywords : Elderly people, Falls