Falls and its related injuries is alarming problem with the elderly population that needed prompt attention of authorities and society, impact on the elderly population is serious. In the article many aspect of falls and its impact in the elderly population is studied. It is important to reduce the associated risk factors of falls in the elderly. Falls continued to be the major source of high morbidity and mortality rate among the elderly, including the fear of falling, social isolation, uncontrolled pain, and suffering of the elderly population. The article addressed the different aspect of falls, the impact on the elderly, healthcare institutions and society, in trying to answer to the many demands that go with this diagnosis falls. The article look at the rapid increase in life expectancy rate of the elderly, which has warranted more research in to the risk factors, the cost of curing and managing this chronic and debilitating diagnosis falls and its impact in the elderly. The research provides a variety of data from different institutions and countries that came together to study this diagnosis falls and its impact on the elderly. In their venture to unveil the problems associated with falls given the increase in life expectancy rate for ages 65 and above.
The study starts by collecting data on life expectancy from 1990 to 2012. Its shows that as the number of aging population increases, the associated problems multiple, given the fact that this population has triggering conditions that play a key role in the occurring of falls and thereby impacting the elderly population and costing society a lot of resources. The researchers use both qualitative and quantitative methods of research in the data collection and compilations in the different institutions and countries for a comprehensive result of findings and suggestion on the way forward. The study considered qualitative methods to describe what is seen locally in the research, while use quantitative method to identify cause and effect relationship that enables them to make probabilistic predictions and generalizations of facts in the research, in relation to health, injuries, quality of life, age, cost, and its prevention among the elderly population. The study look at the related problems of falls, some are controllable with proper interventions.
The problems/ risk factors include; the age (above 80yrs), History of falls, gait deficit, balance deficit, arthritis, impaired activities of daily living, depression, cognitively impaired and others concerns include environmental problems; poor lighting, loose rugs and wiring and other diseases conditions like orthostatic hypotension, vertigo, superficial injuries, osteoporosis, and Parkinson disease. (AGS/BGS; (2010) et al. The fall-risk-increasing drugs (FRID), Cardiovascular and psychotropic drugs (Leipzig; et al). Further, the study states important impacts from falls in the elderly population; morbidity and mortality rate very high with the elderly and its effect on the health sector in terms of cost and management of impacts/ injuries of the elderly. Impacts includes traumatic brain injuries, fractures like hip, extremities, neck, and any other body parts, also fears of falling, and social isolation are all major problem that needs prompt attention from the health institutions, and society. Hence the huge work in caring, counseling, redirecting of care, cost of caring rest with the healthcare and society generally.
Questions about the ability and knowledge of researchers and society in handling the problems of falls remain unrevealed. Further states, the types of injuries of falls and the treatment cost institutionally. Hence, the most serious injuries and consequence suffer is brain trauma and the studies did not shown any definite cause for the increase in number of brain trauma. The study gives statistical report on predominate injuries of falls; traumatic brain injury took the lead in the elderly. Traumatic injuries from fall amounted to 60.7% among ages 65 and older in the U.S. (Faul; et al; 2010). Statistically, the rates for ER visit, hospitalization, and death from traumatic brain injuries resulting from falls from 2002-2006 drastically increases from 67.6 to 90.7 per 100,000 in age 65 and above, (Faul; et al; 2010) and same trend with the Netherland. Associated causes for brain trauma in elderly falls could be due to increase mobility of the elderly, the implementation of new treatments guidelines, the increase use of radiographic imaging, or the rise in life expectancy in the western world. Furthermore, the impact of falls greatly affects the quality of life and functional ability of the age 65 and above, thereby impending their livelihood capability and functionality in societies. Fracture injuries like hip, upper extremities, skull/brain injuries; are high part of functional problems including mobility impairment, self-care deficit, pain and discomfort, anxiety and depression, cognition impairment and even death in a year. The research looks at nutritional status, body weight, smoking rate, treatment for osteoporosis and hormonal replacement therapy and other related activities.
For quality of life improvement practices the need to undertake activities, that are less cost to society but beneficial for the elderly is important. The ways to prevent falls in the elderly, involve intervention programs like multi-factorial intervention, with different activities; exercises, medication review, assessment of vision, hearing, cardiovascular function and psychological state with proper referrals, assessment of home environment and assistive devices(AGS/BGS; et al; (2010); together with cost reduction practice. This study live room for future improvement in research with a consideration of the following; identifying the population that benefit the most from falls prevention programs, knowing the components of multi-factorial interventions that are more rewarding, effective to broader extent and accurate handling of risk factors in the elderly appropriately. This research is funded by grant from the Netherlands Organization for Health Research and development. In conclusion, the organizations see the need to address falls and its impact on the livelihood of the elderly given the increasing rate in the level of life expectancy in the developing world.
REFERENCE
DA Boye, N; et al; (2013); Article “The impact of falls in the elderly” Trauma http://ehis.ebscohost.com/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=4&sid=9493d224-d82e-4da9-8eb7-cdde841c66e5%40sessionmgr12&hid=17
