Falls and fall risk among nursing home residents

Staff's insights into fall prevention solutions in long-term care facilities: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Falls are one of the most common and serious health issues in long-term care facilities (LTCFs), impacting not just residents, but staff and the healthcare system. This study aimed to explore LTCF staff's current practices around falls prevention, and their suggested solutions for better falls prevention.

METHODS

In the southwest of Ireland, a descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in 13 LTCF sites, across a range of provider types and facility sizes. A survey, measuring staff knowledge, skills and attitudes, was distributed in physical and online formats. Staff suggestions for prioritising fall and fall-related injury prevention activities, and current staff practices regarding fall incidents were also sought. Content analysis was used to analyse responses, mapping categories and subcategories to the refined theoretical domains framework (TDF) and to an existing fall prevention guideline.

RESULTS

There were 155 respondents (15% response rate), from staff of the LTCFs. Environmental reviews and modifications (aligned to the TDF environmental context and resource domain) were the most common suggestions for preventing both falls and fall-related injuries. Other common suggestions for preventing falls were staff education, monitoring of residents, and using alarm/calling systems, while few staff members, across all roles, reported assessing residents, exercises, reviewing medications, and vitamin D supplements. For preventing fall-related injuries, suggestions included protective equipment, hip protectors and alarm/calling systems. Staff used a standardised approach when responding to a fall incident, with intensive and holistic post-fall control measures. HCAs focussed on transferring residents safely, while nurses of all grades focused more on post-fall assessment. Respondents believed that staff education, communication, increasing staffing levels and enhancing specialist care could support their practice.

CONCLUSION

Noting the low response rate, the results suggest an awareness gap regarding some evidence-based, resident-focussed falls prevention solutions, such as pro-active fall-risk assessment, exercise, medication review, and Vitamin D supplements. These aspects should be included in future fall prevention education programmes in LTCFs.

Staff knowledge, attitudes and confidence levels for fall preventions in older person long-term care facilities: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Falls are the most common health problem affecting older people in long-term care facilities (LTCFs), with well-recognised adverse psychological and physical resident outcomes, and high staff burden and financial cost. LTCF staff knowledge and skills can play a vital role in providing and promoting fall prevention care.

METHODS

A descriptive cross-sectional survey study was conducted across 13 LTCF sites in the Southwest of Ireland; a sampling frame facilitated inclusion of a range of provider types and facility sizes. An existing questionnaire, based on fall prevention guidance, and examining staff knowledge, skills and attitudes, was distributed in physical and online formats.

RESULT

The response rate was 15% (n = 155), predominantly healthcare assistants, staff nurses and senior nurses. Almost 90% expressed high confidence levels for delivering fall prevention interventions and being aware of how falls affect LTCFs. However, over half underestimated the fall rate in LTCFs, and only 60% had adequate knowledge. Longer experience in working with older people in healthcare services was associated with greater knowledge (p = .001) and confidence in fall prevention interventions (p = .01), while senior nurses had more knowledge than others (p = .01). LTCF staff had lowest knowledge about "identification systems for residents at high risk of falling", "keeping confused residents near nursing stations", "the effect of using antipsychotic medicine on falls", "using a toileting regimen" and "staff responsibility regarding fall prevention efforts". Despite their knowledge gaps, nearly 50% thought they had enough fall prevention training; their main preference for any further fall education training was face-to-face education.

CONCLUSION

The results, with the caveat of a low response rate, show the need for interdisciplinary fall prevention training that is tailored to both the perceived learning needs and actual knowledge gap of LTCF staff and their preferences for learning delivery, as part of an overall approach to reducing fall-related adverse outcomes.

Physical Restraint Use in Nursing Homes-Regional Variances and Ethical Considerations: A Scoping Review of Empirical Studies

BACKGROUND

Physical restraints are known to violate human rights, yet their use persists in long-term care facilities. This study aimed to explore the prevalence, methods, and interventions related to physical restraint use among the elderly in nursing homes.

METHODS

The method described by Joanna Briggs was followed to conduct a scoping review without a quality assessment of the selected studies. An electronic search was conducted to find eligible empirical articles using MEDLINE, PsycINFO, EMBASE, Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, CINAHL, and grey literature. The database search was performed using EndNote software (version X9, Clarivate Analytics), and the data were imported into Excel for analysis.

RESULTS

The prevalence of physical restraint use was found to be highest in Spain (84.9%) and lowest in the USA (1.9%). The most common device reported was bed rails, with the highest prevalence in Singapore (98%) and the lowest (4.7%) in Germany, followed by chair restraint (57%). The largest number of studies reported the prevention and/or risk of falls to be the main reason for using physical restraints, followed by behavioral problems such as wandering, verbal or physical agitation, and cognitive impairment. Most studies reported guideline- and/or theory-based multicomponent interventions consisting of the training and education of nursing home staff.

CONCLUSIONS

This review provides valuable insights into the use of physical restraints among elderly residents in nursing homes. Despite efforts to minimize their use, physical restraints continue to be employed, particularly with elderly individuals who have cognitive impairments. Patient-related factors such as wandering, agitation, and cognitive impairment were identified as the second most common reasons for using physical restraints in this population. To address this issue, it is crucial to enhance the skills of nursing home staff, especially nurses, in providing safe and ethical care for elderly residents with cognitive and functional impairments, aggressive behaviors, and fall risks.

Implementation strategies to support fall prevention interventions in long-term care facilities for older persons: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Falls are common among older people in long-term care facilities (LTCFs). Falls cause considerable morbidity, mortality and reduced quality of life. Of numerous interventional studies of fall prevention interventions in LTCFs, some reduced falls. However, there are challenges to implementing these interventions in real-world (non-trial) clinical practice, and the implementation techniques may be crucial to successful translation. This systematic review thus aimed to synthesise the evidence on implementation strategies, implementation outcomes and clinical outcomes included in fall prevention intervention studies.

METHODS

A systematic search of six electronic databases (PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, PsycINFO, SCOPUS, Web of Science) and eight grey literature databases was conducted, involving papers published during 2001-2021, in English or Arabic, targeting original empirical studies of fall prevention interventions (experimental and quasi-experimental). Two seminal implementation frameworks guided the categorisation of implementation strategies and outcomes: the Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change (ERIC) Taxonomy and the Implementation Outcomes Framework. Four ERIC sub-categories and three additional implementation strategies were created to clarify overlapping definitions and reflect the implementation approach. Two independent researchers completed title/abstract and full-text screening, quality appraisal assessment, data abstraction and coding of the implementation strategies and outcomes. A narrative synthesis was performed to analyse results.

RESULTS

Four thousand three hundred ninety-seven potential papers were identified; 31 papers were included, describing 27 different fall prevention studies. These studies used 39 implementation strategies (3-17 per study). Educational and training strategies were used in almost all (n = 26), followed by evaluative strategies (n = 20) and developing stakeholders' interrelationships (n = 20). Within educational and training strategies, education outreach/meetings (n = 17), distributing educational materials (n = 17) and developing educational materials (n = 13) were the most common, with 36 strategies coded to the ERIC taxonomy. Three strategies were added to allow coding of once-off training, dynamic education and ongoing medical consultation. Among the 15 studies reporting implementation outcomes, fidelity was the most common (n = 8).

CONCLUSION

This is the first study to comprehensively identify the implementation strategies used in falls prevention interventions in LTCFs. Education is the most common implementation strategy used in this setting. This review highlighted that there was poor reporting of the implementation strategies, limited assessment of implementation outcomes, and there was no discernible pattern of implementation strategies used in effective interventions, which should be improved and clearly defined.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

This systematic review was registered on the PROSPERO database; registration number: CRD42021239604.

Effectiveness of change from suvorexant to lemborexant drug in the treatment of sleep disorders

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to examine the effects of a change in medication from suvorexant to lemborexant among patients with insomnia.

METHODS

Patients with chronic insomnia who had persistent insomnia for 3 months or longer and who had been taking suvorexant for 3 months or longer were selected. The participants were divided into two groups: the 'modified' group and the 'non-modified' group. Four sub-types of insomnia (i.e., difficulty initiating sleep, difficulty maintaining sleep, early-morning awakening, and non-restorative sleep) were investigated. Logistic regression was used to investigate improvements in both the groups after 12 weeks.

RESULTS

Among the 77 participants, 43 and 34 patients were in the modified drug group and the non-modified drug group, respectively. Comparing sleep disorders between the two groups, we found significant improvement after 12 weeks in the modified drug group in terms of difficulty initiating sleep, compared with the non-modified drug group (odds ratio = 0.036, P = 0.008, 95% CI = 0.003-0.415). However, no significant differences were found between the two groups in terms of difficulty maintaining sleep, early-morning awakening, and non-restorative sleep.

CONCLUSIONS

Sleep disorders can be treated by alleviating difficulties in initiating sleep by changing from suvorexant to lemborexant. In addition, it was confirmed that the drug change caused no serious side effects and that it was highly safe and tolerated.

Association between post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms and bone fractures after the Great East Japan Earthquake in older adults: a prospective cohort study from the Fukushima Health Management Survey

Background

It has been reported that psychological stress affects bone metabolism and increases the risk of fracture. However, the relationship between bone fractures and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of disaster-induced PTSD symptoms on fracture risk in older adults.

Methods

This study evaluated responses from 17,474 individuals aged ≥ 65 years without a history of fractures during the Great East Japan Earthquake who answered the Mental Health and Lifestyle Survey component of the Fukushima Health Management Survey conducted in 2011. The obtained data could determine the presence or absence of fractures until 2016. Age, sex, physical factors, social factors, psychological factors, and lifestyle factors were subsequently analyzed. Survival analysis was then performed to determine the relationship between the fractures and each factor. Thereafter, univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard models were constructed to identify fracture risk factors.

Results

In total, 2,097 (12.0%) fractures were observed throughout the follow-up period. Accordingly, univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard models showed that PTSD symptoms (total PTSD checklists scoring ≥ 44) [hazard ratio (HR): 1.26; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.10–1.44; P = 0.001], history of cancer (HR: 1.49; 95% CI: 1.24–1.79; P < 0.001), history of stroke (HR: 1.25; 95% CI: 1.03–1.52; P = 0.023), history of heart disease (HR: 1.30; 95% CI: 1.13–1.50; P < 0.001), history of diabetes (HR: 1.23; 95% CI: 1.09–1.39; P < 0.001), current smoking (HR: 1.29; 95% CI: 1.02–1.63; P = 0.036), and high dissatisfaction with sleep or no sleep at all (HR: 1.33; 95% CI: 1.02–1.74; P = 0.035) promoted a significant increase in fracture risk independent of age and sex.

Conclusions

The present study indicates that disaster-induced PTSD symptoms and insomnia contribute to increased fracture risk among older adults residing in evacuation areas within the Fukushima Prefecture.

The Effects of a Walking Intervention on Gait Parameters in Older Adults Residing in Long-Term Care: A Randomized Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVES

We examined the effects of a walking intervention in older adults residing in long-term care (LTC) homes on gait velocity (primary outcome), and stride length, cadence and heel-to-heel base of support (secondary outcomes) compared to those in an interpersonal interaction control group and a care-as-usual control group at 16-weeks post-intervention.

METHODS

These previously unpublished gait data were collected as part of a larger prospective, randomized, three group study. One hundred and sixty-eight participants residing in 12 LTC homes were randomized into: a) a walking group (n=57) - 1:1 supervised, individualized, progressive, 30 minutes, five times a week walking program for 16 weeks; b) an interpersonal interaction group (n=55) - stationary 1:1 conversation time with research personnel; and, c) a care-as-usual control group (n=56). Gait was assessed at baseline and 16-weeks post-intervention using the GAITRite® computerized system. One-way Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA), controlling for age, sex, cognitive status and baseline gait parameter (velocity, stride length, cadence, heel-to-heel base of support) was used to examine differences among groups for velocity, stride length, cadence, and heel-to-heel base of support at 16-weeks post-intervention.

RESULTS

Ninety-one participants with available data were included in this analysis: walking group (n=31/57, mean age=82.77±6.75 years); interpersonal interaction group (n=31/55, mean age=82.74±9.27 years); care-as-usual control group (n=29/56, mean age=85.40±8.78 years). ANCOVA showed a significant difference in the mean gait velocity at 16-weeks post-intervention [F(2, 84) =6.99, p=0.0006); η2 (95%CI)=0.16 (0.02, 0.27)]. Post hoc comparisons using Sidak test showed that the estimated marginal mean (EMM) for velocity for the walking group [EMM (SE), 0.51m/s (0.03)] was significantly higher compared to the interpersonal interaction group [EMM (SE), 0.38m/s (0.03); t(83)=3.15, p=0.007] and the care-as-usual control group [EMM (SE), 0.38m/s (0.03)]; t(83)=3.32, p=0.004]. No significant difference was observed between groups for stride length, cadence or heel-to-heel base of support.

CONCLUSION

LTC residents with limited physical functioning showed significant improvement in gait velocity but not in stride length, cadence or heel-to-heel base of support after a 16-week walking intervention.

Evaluation of the Predictive Accuracy of the interRAI Falls Clinical Assessment Protocol, Scott Fall Risk Screen, and a Supplementary Falls Risk Assessment Tool Used in Residential Long-Term Care: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Falls in residential long-term care (LTC) facilities continue to be a leading cause of injury for residents and cost for the health care system. Interdisciplinary clinical teams are responsible for assessing risk levels for their residents and developing appropriate care plans and interventions in response. This study compares the predictive accuracy of three separate fall risk assessment tools: the interRAI Falls Clinical Assessment Protocol (CAP), derived from the LTC Facility (LTCF) or Minimum Data Set (MDS) 2.0 assessments; the Scott Fall Risk Screen; and a modified Fall Risk Tool that was implemented as part of a provincial Fall Reduction Strategy in Nova Scotia. To conduct this retrospective cohort study, secondary data were collected from 1,553 LTC residents with interRAI assessments completed between March 1, 2015 and September 29, 2016, across Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. For each resident, data were collected regarding the three fall risk assessments, along with fall incident data for use in sensitivity, specificity, and logistic regression analyses. This study found that although all three tools had limitations with sensitivity or specificity thresholds, the interRAI Falls CAP delivered the highest accuracy with a c-statistic of 0.673, compared with the Scott Fall Risk Screen at 0.529 and the modified Fall Risk Tool at 0.609. When diseases that have been established to be a risk factor for falls were added to the model, the overall accuracy of the interRAI Falls CAP combined with those covariates increased to 0.749. These results suggest that the best practice guidelines for fall risk assessment be revisited, and that the interRAI Falls CAP could potentially be updated to include certain diseases and controls for optimal predictive ability.

Bedrails and Falls in Nursing Homes: A Systematic Review

Bedrail use for fall prevention in elderly clients (>65 years) is controversial. Some healthcare providers believe bedrails prevent falls, while others think they are ineffective and dangerous. A systematic review was conducted to address: "For older adults living in nursing homes, does more or less bedrail use reduce the incidence of falls?" We searched HealthStar, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Academic Search complete ProQuest and Canadian Health Research Collection using "elder*," "bedrail*," "fall*," and "assisted-living*." After filtering for primary data, English records, older adult population, relationship between bedrails and falls, fourteen studies remained. Results suggest using alternative fall prevention measures, and bedrails are either beneficial, harmful, or do not influence falls. Bedrail reduction with fall prevention interventions led to no changes in fall frequency. Ambiguity persists regarding fall frequencies and bedrail use without using other fall prevention strategies. Educating health care providers on fall prevention is key to patient safety.

Use of physical restraint in nursing homes in Spain and relation with resident characteristics: a retrospective multi-centre cohort study with a self-organised maps approach

This is a retrospective cohort study based on data from five nursing homes which aims to appraise how physical and cognitive characteristics of nursing home residents were associated with the use of restraints, and to provide information on their prevalence in Spain. The goal was to assess, in a visual way, the possible interactions between the nursing homes residents’ characteristics and their association with the use of restraints. Motivation, risk factors, characteristics of the residents analysed by validated rating systems that assess mobility, level of dependence, cognitive condition and nutritional status, and their association with the use of restraints, were described by means of linear and non-linear multivariate approaches in the form of self-organised maps. Findings showed that the prevalence of restraints was high when compared to other developed countries. The visual analysis reinforced the knowledge that a greater impairment was associated with the use of restraints and vice versa. However, the residents’ characteristics were not always associated with the use of restraints. Subjective factors seem to play a relevant role in decision-making, so it is important to assess risk factors continuously and determine the actual need for the use of restraints from an individual perspective by basing the criteria on specific objectives, and on consistent, reproducible and reliable methods. Initiatives to minimise these subjective factors should be promoted. Likewise, a clear definition of physical restraints should be offered at each centre. In addition, effective legislation that clearly states the need, alternatives and motivation for the use of restraints is needed.

Falling while walking: A hidden contributor to pedestrian injury

Walking is a sustainable mode of transportation which is beneficial to both individuals and to the broader community, however, there are risks and it is essential that road design and operation provides safe conditions for walking. In Victoria, pedestrians represent one of the most vulnerable road user groups, accounting for approximately 12% of all road fatalities and serious injuries. These figures largely represent injuries where the pedestrian has been struck by a vehicle with the extent of pedestrian-only injuries largely un-reported. Falling while walking may be a significant contributor to pedestrian only injuries. Indeed, the World Health Organisation has identified falls generally as the second leading cause of unintentional injury death in older populations. Despite the prevalence of fall-related injuries, there has been relatively little research undertaken to address the issues surrounding falls that occur while walking for transport and in public spaces. This study, therefore, aimed to address this gap in our knowledge. Analyses of various data sources were undertaken to enhance our understanding of fall-related injuries while walking in Victoria. Two sources of data were accessed: Only 85 fall-related incidents were reported in the crash-based data, however, pedestrian falls while walking in the road environment accounted for an average of 1680 hospital admissions and 3545 emergency department presentations each year, and this number is rising. The findings in this study show clearly that Police data is of little use when attempting to understand issues of safe travel for pedestrians other than vehicle-pedestrian incidents. However, analysis of hospital data provides a more realistic indication of the extent of pedestrian fall-related injuries and highlights the significant number of pedestrian fall-related injuries that occur each year. Moreover, the findings identified that older pedestrians are significantly over-represented amongst fall-related injuries that require hospital admission, while also having the highest rate of emergency department presentations when adjusting for age and exposure based on estimates of aggregate walking distances. The study also highlighted that the most common injury sustained from a fall were fractures. The implications of these findings and identification of 'best-practice' within a Safe System context are discussed in terms of enhancements to the physical environment (particularly footpath, kerb and ramp construction and maintenance), implementation of fall hazard assessment and management strategies, and educational programs to highlight the risks for falls and recommend preventative strategies, and overall enhancements of general fall interventions to include falls while walking outside (including exercise interventions). In addition, a number of research and data needs, particularly collection of in-depth data to identify contributory factors and injury outcomes related to falls while walking incidents.

Managing Patient Falls in Psychiatric Inpatient Units: Part 2

Patient falls in the hospital psychiatric inpatient units are more frequent than in the medical-surgical units. The purpose of this study was to explore psychiatric unit directors' perceptions of the factors that contribute to patient falls in the State of Michigan. A quantitative online questionnaire was sent to the directors of psychiatric units in Michigan. Two research questions (RQs) guided the study: (a) What are psychiatric unit directors' perceptions of the possible intrinsic factors that contribute to patient falls in the psychiatric inpatient units, and (b) what are psychiatric unit directors' perceptions of the possible extrinsic factors that contribute to patient falls in the psychiatric inpatient units? In comparing the results, 6 of the 7 factors with the highest mean levels of agreement were intrinsic factors. In the current study, patient gait (mean, 4.65) ranked first, history of falls (mean, 4.52) second, and multiple medications (mean, 4.50) third as fall-risk factors. The need for the involvement of the team members (mean, 4.55) in preventing falls was the most highly rated factor among the extrinsic factors. Educating unit team members in assisting with fall prevention is a critical consideration for leaders.

Medication use and risk of falls among nursing home residents: a retrospective cohort study

Background Geriatric falls are leading causes of hospital trauma admissions and injury-related deaths. Medication use is a crucial element among extrinsic risk factors for falls. To reduce fall risk and the prevalence of adverse drug reactions, potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) lists are widely used. Objective Our aim was to investigate the possible predictors of geriatric falls annualized over a 5-year-long period, as well as to evaluate the medication use of nursing home residents. Setting Nursing home residents were recruited from the same institution between 2010 and 2015 in Szeged, Hungary. Method A retrospective epidemiological study was performed. Patient data were analysed for the first 12 months of residency. Chi-squared test and Fisher's-test were applied to compare the categorical variables, Student's t test to compare the continuous variables between groups. Binary logistic regression analysis was carried out to determine the association of falls with other variables found significant in univariate analysis. Microsoft Excel, IBM SPSS Statistics (version 23) and R (3.2.2) programs were used for data analysis. Main outcome measure Falls affected by age, gender, number of chronic medications, polypharmacy, PIM meds. Results A total of 197 nursing home residents were included, 150 (76.2%) women and 47 (23.8%) men, 55 fallers (annual fall prevalence rate was 27.9%) and 142 non-fallers. Gender was not a predisposing factor for falls (prevalence in males: 23.4 vs 29.3% in females, p > 0.05). Fallers were older (mean years ± SD; 84.0 ± 7.0) than non-fallers (80.1 ± 9.3, p < 0.01). The age ≥80 years was a significant risk factor for falls (p < 0.001). The number of chronic medications was higher in male fallers (12.4 ± 4.0) than in non-fallers (6.9 ± 4.2, p < 0.001). Polypharmacy (taking four or more chronic medications) was a significant risk factor of falls (p < 0.01). Those PIMs carrying fall risk were taken by 70.9% of fallers and 75.3% of non-fallers (p > 0.05). Taking pantoprazole, vinpocetine or trimetazidine was a significant risk factor for falls. Conclusion Older age, polypharmacy and the independent use of pantoprazole, vinpocetine, and trimetazidine were found to be major risk factors for falls. Further real-life epidemiological studies are necessary to confirm the role of particular active agents, and to help professionals prescribe, evaluate and review geriatric medication use.

The use of physical restraints in long-term care in Spain: a multi-center cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Physical restraint is a procedure used frequently in long-term care. It is a controversial practice because its use is associated with numerous complications and also affects freedom and individual autonomy. The objective of this study was to examine the use of physical restraint of long-term care residents with the ability to move voluntarily.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional observational and correlational multi-center study. Nine centers agreed to participate. Of the 1,200 people present at the time of data collection, those without voluntary movement or in the facility for less than a month were excluded. Thus, the final sample was 920 residents. Data on the use of restraints was collected by direct observation. Information about the age, gender, length of stay, falls, mobility, cognition and functional status of residents was gathered by reviewing clinical records and interviewing nursing staff. A descriptive analysis of the data obtained was conducted. The generalized linear model was used, considering only the principal effects of each variable and using the logit link function. The model has been adjusted for clusters and for other possibly confounding factors. For all analyses, a confidence interval (CI) of 95% was estimated.

RESULTS

The prevalence of residents with at least one physical restraint was 84.9% (95% CI: 81.7-88.1), with variability between centers of 70.3 to 96.6% (p-value Kruskal Wallis test <0.001). Full-enclosure side rails were most often used (84.5; 95% CI: 81.1-87.9), but other types of restraints were also used frequently. Multivariate analysis showed that the degree of functional impairment increased the probability of the use of restraint. A significant association was also found between restraint use and the impaired cognitive status of residents.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence was higher than in studies from other countries. The results emphasize the need to improve the training of nursing staff in the care of residents with impairments in functional and cognitive status. The use of alternative devices and nurse consultants need to be evaluated, and the introduction of specific laws considered.

Predicting Falls and When to Intervene in Older People: A Multilevel Logistical Regression Model and Cost Analysis

Introduction

Falls are the leading cause of injury in older people. Reducing falls could reduce financial pressures on health services. We carried out this research to develop a falls risk model, using routine primary care and hospital data to identify those at risk of falls, and apply a cost analysis to enable commissioners of health services to identify those in whom savings can be made through referral to a falls prevention service.

Methods

Multilevel logistical regression was performed on routinely collected general practice and hospital data from 74751 over 65’s, to produce a risk model for falls. Validation measures were carried out. A cost-analysis was performed to identify at which level of risk it would be cost-effective to refer patients to a falls prevention service. 95% confidence intervals were calculated using a Monte Carlo Model (MCM), allowing us to adjust for uncertainty in the estimates of these variables.

Results

A risk model for falls was produced with an area under the curve of the receiver operating characteristics curve of 0.87. The risk cut-off with the highest combination of sensitivity and specificity was at p = 0.07 (sensitivity of 81% and specificity of 78%). The risk cut-off at which savings outweigh costs was p = 0.27 and the risk cut-off with the maximum savings was p = 0.53, which would result in referral of 1.8% and 0.45% of the over 65’s population respectively. Above a risk cut-off of p = 0.27, costs do not exceed savings.

Conclusions

This model is the best performing falls predictive tool developed to date; it has been developed on a large UK city population; can be readily run from routine data; and can be implemented in a way that optimises the use of health service resources. Commissioners of health services should use this model to flag and refer patients at risk to their falls service and save resources.

Later sleep schedule and depressive symptoms are associated with usage of multiple kinds of hypnotics

OBJECTIVE

Usage of high doses of hypnotics possibly causes various adverse events. However, the risk factors of using multiple kinds of hypnotics have been inconclusive. To clarify this, we conducted a web-based cross-sectional questionnaire survey on the Japanese adult population.

METHODS

A cross-sectional Internet-linked survey was conducted on 10,016 individuals and 1030 participants (10.3%) having subjective insomnia proceeded to subsequent analyses. The analyzed subjects were categorized into non-users of hypnotics (n = 833; 80.9%), users of a single kind of hypnotic (n = 96; 9.3%), and users of multiple kinds of hypnotics (n = 101; 9.8%). The descriptive variables including demographic data, scores of Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), Short Form-8 Health-Related Quality of Life [QOL (SF-8)], Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and other parameters were compared among the groups.

RESULTS

The users of multiple kinds of hypnotics had the highest mean score of CES-D, the lowest mental component summary of QOL (SF-8), and the latest sleep schedule among the three groups (p < 0.001). Logistic regression analyses revealed that sex (female: OR = 2.38; p < 0.001) and age (≥43 years old: OR = 2.61; p < 0.001) were independently associated with use of a single kind of hypnotic, while later sleep schedule (midpoint of sleep ≥5:30 a.m.: OR = 2.26; p < 0.001) and higher CES-D score (≥16 points: OR = 2.41; p < 0.001) were independently associated with use of multiple kinds of hypnotics.

CONCLUSIONS

Characteristics of users of multiple kinds of hypnotics were different from those of users of a single kind of hypnotic.

Recognising falls risk in older adult mental health patients and acknowledging the difference from the general older adult population

Older adults admitted to inpatient mental health units present with complex mental health care needs which are often compounded by the challenges of living with physical co-morbidities. They are a mobile population and a high risk group for falling during hospitalisation. To address quality and safety concerns around the increased risk for falls, a qualitative research study was completed to obtain an improved understanding of the factors that increase the risk of falling in this patient cohort. Focus groups were conducted with mental health professionals working across older adult mental health services in metropolitan Western Australia. Data were analysed using content analysis and three themes emerged that were significant concepts relevant to falls risk in this patient group. These themes were (1) limitations of using generic falls risk assessment and management tools, (2) assessment of falls risk not currently captured on standardised tools, and (3) population specific causes of falls. The findings demonstrate that older adult mental health patients are a highly mobile group that experience frequent changes in cognition, behaviour and mental state. The mix of patients with organic or functional psychiatric disorders within the same environment also presents complex and unique care challenges and multi-disciplinary collaboration is central to reduce the risk of falls. As this group of patients are also frequently admitted to both general inpatient and aged care settings, the findings are relevant to the assessment and management of falls risk across all health care settings.

Cohort study of institutionalized elderly people: fall risk factors from the nursing diagnosis

OBJECTIVE

To determine the incidence of falls in elderly residents of long-stay institutions of the Federal District, to identify the aspects involved in the falls, in terms of risk factors, from the application of scales and the Taxonomy II of NANDA-I, and to define the level of accuracy with its sensitivity and specificity for application in the clinical nursing practice.

METHOD

This was a cohort study with the evaluation of 271 elderly people. Cognition, functionality, mobility and other intrinsic factors were evaluated. After six months, the elderly people who fell were identified, with significance analysis then performed to define the risk factors.

RESULTS

The results showed an incidence of 41%. Of the 271 patients included, 69 suffered 111 episodes of falls during the monitoring period. Risk factors were the presence of stroke with its sequelae (OR: 1.82, 95% CI 1.01 - 3.28, p=.045), presenting more than five chronic diseases (OR: 2.82, 95% CI 1.43 - 5.56, p=.0028), foot problem (OR: 2.45, 95% CI 1.35 - 4.44, p=.0033) and motion (OR: 2.04, 95% CI 1.15 - 3.61, p=.0145).

CONCLUSION

The taxonomy has high validity regarding the detection of elderly people at risk of falling and should be applied consistently in the clinical nursing practice.

Factors related to the high fall rate in long-term care residents with dementia

BACKGROUND

Falls in long-term care residents with dementia represent a costly but unresolved safety issue. The aim of the present study was to (1) determine the incidence of falls, fall-related injuries and fall circumstances, and (2) identify the relationship between patient characteristics and fall rate in long-term care residents with dementia.

METHODS

Twenty long-term care residents with dementia (80 ± 11 years; 60% male) participated. Falls were recorded on a standardized form, concerning fall injuries, time and place of fall and if the fall was witnessed. Patient characteristics (66 variables) were extracted from medical records and classified into the domains: demographics, activities of daily living, mobility, cognition and behavior, vision and hearing, medical conditions and medication use. We used partial least squares (PLS) regression to determine the relationship between patient characteristics and fall rate.

RESULTS

A total of 115 falls (5.1 ± 6.7 falls/person/year) occurred over 19 months, with 85% of the residents experiencing a fall, 29% of falls had serious consequences and 28% was witnessed. A combination of impaired mobility, indicators of disinhibited behavior, diabetes, and use of analgesics, beta blockers and psycholeptics were associated with higher fall rates. In contrast, immobility, heart failure, and the inability to communicate were associated with lower fall rates.

CONCLUSIONS

Falls are frequent and mostly unwitnessed events in long-term care residents with dementia, highlighting the need for more effective and individualized fall prevention. Our analytical approach determined the relationship between a high fall rate and cognitive impairment, related to disinhibited behavior, in combination with mobility disability and fall-risk-increasing-drugs (FRIDs).

Psychotropic medication use and association with physical and psychosocial outcomes in nursing home residents

Psychotropic medications are commonly prescribed for older adults living in long-term care settings. Use of these medications has been associated with negative functional outcomes. The purpose of this study was to describe the prevalence of psychotropic medication use among nursing home residents, and to explore the relationship of psychotropic medication use on physical and psychosocial outcomes. A secondary data analysis was done using baseline measures from the Res-Care Intervention Study. The sample included 419 residents from 12 nursing homes. There were 288 participants (69%) who were prescribed at least one psychotropic medication, with 81 participants (19%) receiving antipsychotics, 248 (59%) receiving antidepressants, 50 (12%) receiving anxiolytics and 37 (9%) receiving sedative/hypnotics. Controlling for gender, age and cognition, physical outcomes were significantly lower in residents receiving psychotropic medications (F= 3.2, P= 0.01) compared to those not receiving psychotropic medications. Psychosocial outcomes were significantly lower in those residents receiving psychotropic mediations (F= 2.0, P= 0.04). The findings from this study provide additional support for the prevalence of psychotropic medication use among nursing home residents and suggest that residents receiving psychotropic medications may be less likely to engage in functional activities and experience decreased quality of life.

Psychotropic medications and falls in nursing homes: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Psychotropic medications are very frequently used in nursing homes and have been associated with falls. Little is known on the potential differences between types and subtypes of these medications, and also regarding different prescription patterns.

METHODS

Data from 4502 residents living in 41 nursing homes belonging to a Spanish private chain were collected during a study period of 1 month and analyzed. Frequency of injurious and noninjurious falls were investigated for the following groups of psychotropic medications: typical neuroleptics; atypical neuroleptics; antidepressants; short and middle half-life benzodiazepines (BZD); long half-life BZD; BZD (of any type) administered only if needed; other hypnotic, sedative or anxiolytic drugs; cholinesterase inhibitors, and memantine. OR (95% CI) were calculated using regression analysis adjusted for age, sex, number of medications, physical restraint, and cognitive performance.

RESULTS

Mean age (SD) was 84.3 (8.6) and 73.4% of the subjects were female. Psychotropic medication was prescribed to 2987 residents (66.3%), and there were 490 falls. Total falls were associated with use of atypical neuroleptics (OR 1.50, CI 1.17‒1.94), antidepressants (OR 1.36, CI 1.03‒1.78), short and middle half-life BZD (OR 1.27, CI 1.00‒1.60), long half-life BZD (OR 1.65, CI 1.14‒2.38), cholinesterase inhibitors (OR 1.42, CI 1.05‒1.92), and memantine (OR 1.90, CI 1.32‒2.74). Injurious falls were associated with typical neuroleptics (OR 1.77, CI 0.99‒3.17), atypical neuroleptics (OR 1.64, CI 1.11‒2.44), and long half-life BZD (OR 2.57, CI 1.56‒4.25). The use of 2 or more psychotropics in combination was also associated with a significant increase of total falls and injurious falls.

CONCLUSIONS

Psychotropic medications were highly prescribed in the studied sample and were associated with falls. The most unsafe profile was detected for long half-life BZD, neuroleptics, and psychotropics in combination.

Falls in newly admitted nursing home residents: a national study

OBJECTIVES

To examine the relationship between nursing home (NH) organizational characteristics and falls in newly admitted NH residents.

DESIGN

Observational cross-sectional study from January 1, 2006, to December 31, 2006.

SETTING

NHs in the United States in 2006.

PARTICIPANTS

Individuals (n = 230,730) admitted to a NH in 2006 without a prior NH stay and with a follow-up Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessment completed 30 days or more after admission.

MEASUREMENTS

The relationship between experiencing a fall noted on the MDS assessment and NH characteristics (e.g., staffing, profit and chain status, religious affiliation, hospital-based facility status, number of beds, presence of a special care unit, funding) was examined, adjusting for NH resident characteristics.

RESULTS

Twenty-one percent of this cohort (n = 47,750) had experienced at least one fall in the NH at the time of the MDS assessment, which was completed for newly admitted NH residents who had at least a 30-day stay. NHs with higher certified nursing assistant (CNA) staffing had lower rates of falls (adjusted odds ratio = 0.97, 95% confidence interval = 0.95-0.99).

CONCLUSION

For newly admitted NH residents, NHs with higher CNA staffing had a lower fall rate. In an effort to maximize fall prevention efforts, further research is needed to understand the relationship between CNA staffing and falls in this NH population.

The nursing staff's opinion of falls among older persons with dementia. a cross-sectional study

The aim of this study was to describe the nursing staff's opinion of caring for older persons with dementia with the focus on causes of falls, fall-preventing interventions, routines of documentation and report and the nursing staff's experiences and reactions when fall incidents occur. A further aim was to compare these areas between registered nurses (RNs) and enrolled nurses (ENs) and staff with ≤5 and >5 years of employment in the care units in question.

Unintentional injuries among older adults in northern Sweden--a one-year population-based study

AIM

To study the epidemiology of unintentional injuries in a population of 21,000 Swedish older adults (65+) and to compare the injury incidence with similar data collected two decades earlier.

METHOD

This is a retrospective epidemiologic cross-sectional study based on a 1-year data set of all the 1753 registered injury events from a well-defined population.

RESULT

The injury rate per 1000 individuals was three times higher in the 85+ age group than in the 65-74 age group. The rate was also higher in women than in men aged 75 and older. Fractures, especially on lower and upper extremities, were the most common injuries. Falls in residential care facilities caused the most serious injuries. In transport areas, pedestrian falls and bicyclist crashes were much more common than car crashes. Of the 1753 people injured, 42% were treated as inpatients for a total of 11,569 days; 86% of these days were caused by injury events in the home (57%) or in residential care facilities (29%). Our 65+ age group occupied 69% of all hospital bed-days for trauma in all ages (0-102 years).

CONCLUSION

Over the last two decades, the injury and fracture rate per 1000 individuals has increased by 40-50%, especially in the older age groups. During this time, the nursing strategy for older adults has changed in Sweden. As a result, more people live in their homes nowadays. This increase is distressing especially when we consider the current knowledge of preventive measures. The high number and proportion (>2/3) of inpatient trauma days for these age groups are a heavy burden for the medical sector. These facts call for more effective preventive measures, especially in the home and in residential care facilities, to minimize the negative health effects and the rising health costs.

Medication and falls: risk and optimization

The association between drugs and falls has been widely studied in the past 3 decades, with increasingly robust evidence of a causal link. Both specific classes of drugs and the total number of drugs taken are associated with falls. This review examines some of the reasons why older people are at greater risk of drug-related adverse events such as falls. We discuss the role of drugs in general and polypharmacy (the concurrent use of multiple drugs) on the risk of falling, with a focus on community-dwelling older people. We critically appraise the evidence that specific classes of drugs, such as benzodiazepines and antidepressants, increase the risk of falling and that falls can be prevented through interventions that target medications.

An effective approach to decrease antipsychotic and benzodiazepine use in nursing homes: the RedUSe project

BACKGROUND

This study evaluated a multi-faceted, interdisciplinary intervention to reduce the use of benzodiazepines and antipsychotics in nursing homes - the "RedUSe" (Reducing Use of Sedatives) project.

METHODS

The RedUSe project was a controlled trial conducted in 25 nursing homes in Tasmania, with 13 intervention and 12 control homes. A series of pharmacist-led strategies were provided to intervention homes including two medication audit and feedback cycles, educational sessions for staff and an interdisciplinary sedative review. Data on psychotropic drug use at each nursing home were collected utilizing a customized computer program at baseline, 12 and 26 weeks. The RedUSe project was registered as a controlled trial at the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, registration number: ACTRN12608000221358.

RESULTS

For each measure, an average of 1591 residents were audited. Over the six-month trial, there was a significant reduction in the percentage of intervention home residents regularly taking benzodiazepines (31.8% to 26.9%, p < 0.005) and antipsychotics (20.3% to 18.6%, p < 0.05), whereas control home psychotropic use did not alter significantly. For residents taking benzodiazepines and antipsychotics at baseline, there were significantly more dose reductions/cessations in intervention homes than in control homes (benzodiazepines: 39.6% vs. 17.6%, p < 0.0001; antipsychotics: 36.9% vs. 20.9%, p < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

RedUSe led to a significant reduction in the proportion of residents in nursing homes taking benzodiazepines and antipsychotics, and a significant increase in the number of dose reductions of these agents. Our findings suggest that a multi-faceted program, coordinated through a community pharmacy, can offer an effective approach in reducing psychotropic use in nursing homes.

Gender differences and cognitive aspects on functional outcome after hip fracture--a 2 years' follow-up of 2,134 patients

BACKGROUND

hip fractures as well as cognitive dysfunction become increasingly prevalent in growing ageing populations. Hip fractures are approximately three times more common in elderly women.

OBJECTIVE

we analysed outcome after hip fracture with respect to gender and cognitive function.

DESIGN

population-based, prospective cohort study.

SETTING

four university hospitals in Stockholm, Sweden.

SUBJECTS

a total of 2,134 consecutive patients admitted with hip fracture during 2003.

METHODS

gender differences in residence, walking ability and activity of daily living (ADL) were analysed at baseline, after 4 and 24 months in patients with and without intact cognitive function.

RESULTS

women were older, more often living alone and had poorer walking ability (P < 0.001). Cognitive dysfunction was equally common by gender. Women were more often treated with a prosthesis (P < 0.001) and sent to rehabilitation (P < 0.001). In the cognitive dysfunction group, men had more co-morbidity (P < 0.001) and total loss of walking ability (P = 0.03), but more often resided in own homes (P = 0.03). There was no gender difference in ADL.

CONCLUSION

men had a higher risk for loss of walking ability and death only in patients with cognitive dysfunction. Cognitive function was the most important factor for returning to own home and regain pre-fracture function.

Declínio funcional de idosa institucionalizada: aplicabilidade do modelo da Classificação Internacional de Funcionalidade, Incapacidade e Saúde

O objetivo deste estudo é relatar a evolução clínico-funcional de uma idosa residente em instituição de longa permanência (ILPI), descrevendo a influência das condições contextuais (socioeconômicas e familiares) em sua saúde, bem como discutir a provável relação entre os eventos e seu declínio funcional utilizando o modelo conceitual da Classificação Internacional de Funcionalidade, Incapacidade e Saúde (CIF). A CIF foi elaborada pela Organização Mundial de Saúde para atender a diferentes setores e estabelecer uma linguagem comum na descrição da saúde, permitindo uma abrangência multidimensional dos fatores direta e indiretamente relacionados ao quadro clínico-funcional, bem como intervenções de caráter interprofissional na clínica ou no ambiente institucional. A paciente passou por diferentes momentos na ILP e foi a óbito após 12 meses. A discussão do caso permite planejar melhores estratégias para lidar com os eventos adversos à saúde que podem ocorrer nesse contexto.

Highest prevalence of vitamin D inadequacy in institutionalized women compared with noninstitutionalized women: a case-control study

The reduced capacity of older skin to synthesize vitamin D(3) under the influence of ultraviolet light makes older persons at risk of vitamin D deficiency. The risk could even be increased in institutionalized persons owing to their lower sunshine exposure. It has been reported that an inadequate vitamin D level is associated with secondary hyperparathyroidism, increased bone turnover, and bone loss, which increase fracture risk. The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of inadequate serum vitamin D levels in institutionalized, postmenopausal, osteoporotic women. Assessment of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] was performed in 445 institutionalized, osteoporotic women from nine countries (Australia, Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Spain and UK). For each institutionalized woman, three age-matched, noninstitutionalized, osteoporotic controls were also included. Four cutoffs of 25(OH)D inadequacy were fixed: less than 80, less than 75, less than 50 and less than 30 nmol/l. Mean age was 79.7 years (standard deviation [SD] = 5.8) for the institutionalized women and 79.5 years (SD = 5.5) for the noninstitutionalized women (p = 0.45). Significantly fewer institutionalized women received vitamin D supplements (13.2 vs 24.0%; p < 0.0001). In women without vitamin D supplements, the level of 25(OH)D was significantly lower in institutionalized women (56.9 [SD = 23.9] nmol/l) compared with noninstitutionalized women (63.2 [SD = 22.0] nmol/l; p < 0.0001). In institutionalized women (without vitamin D supplements), the prevalence of 25(OH)D inadequacy was 10.4, 41.2, 80.3 and 84.2% when considering cutoffs of 80, 75, 50 and 30 nmol/l, respectively. In the control group, the prevalence was 2.7, 22.9, 74.4 and 81.7%, respectively. The prevalence of vitamin D inadequacy was significantly higher in institutionalized women when considering the 75, 50 and 30 nmol/l cutoffs but not when considering the 80 nmol/l cutoff. This study highlights a high prevalence of vitamin D inadequacy in institutionalized, osteoporotic women. Compared with age-matched osteoporotic controls, the prevalence of severe vitamin D inadequacy was substantially more important in institutionalized women. We believe that a greater awareness of the importance of vitamin D inadequacy is needed in order to address this public health problem.

Falls in somatic and dementia wards at Community Care Units

INTRODUCTION

Falls and fall injuries are common problems for patients at nursing homes in Sweden. Impaired cognitive function, a poor sense of orientation and a high intake of medicine, can lead to an increase in falls among older people.

AIM

The objective of this study was to investigate the associations between falls and: fall risks, fractures, the use of physical restraints and the use of certain medications in somatic and dementia wards, respectively.

METHOD

The study design is ecological, and aggregated data regarding falls, fall risk assessments, fractures, the use of physical restraints and medication were collected between 2000 and 2003. The Pearson correlation analysis and regression analyses were used to investigate associations between fall risks, medication, fractures, wheelchair-bound situations, bed rails and falls.

RESULTS

The total number of reported fall incidents was 2651; of these, 737 incidents were registered in dementia wards and 1914 in somatic wards. Dementia wards and somatic wards differed regarding falls and fractures, as it was only in dementia wards that falls were associated with fractures. There was also a significant correlation between falls and assessed risk of falling, the use of certain medication, and physical restraints such as wheelchairs and bed rails in dementia wards. Falls at somatic wards were associated with the use of sleeping pills with benzodiazepines.

CONCLUSION

For dementia wards there were associations between falls and fractures, physical restraints and the use of certain medications. Fractures were associated with the use of neuroleptics, sleeping pills and sleeping pills with benzodiazepines. At somatic wards, falls correlated with the use of sleeping pills with benzodiazepines, and with the use of wheelchairs and bed rails.

Sensory impairment in hip-fracture patients 65 years or older and effects of hearing/vision interventions on fall frequency

Aim:

Examine the effect of nursing interventions to improve vision and hearing, systematic assessment, and referral to sensory specialists on falling.

Methods:

Controlled intervention trial targeting hip fracture patients, 65 years and older, living at home and having problems seeing/reading regular print (VI) or hearing normal speech (HI). Intervention group = 200, control group = 131. The InterRAI-AcuteCare (RAI-AC) and the Combined-Serious-Sensory-Impairment interview guide (KAS-Screen) were used. Follow-up telephone calls were done every third month for one year.

Results:

Mean age was 84.2 years, 79.8% were female, and 76.7% lived alone. HI was detected in 80.7% and VI in 59.8%. Falling was more frequent among the intervention group (P = 0.003) and they also more often moved to a nursing home (P < 0.001) and were dependent walking up stairs (P = 0.003).

Conclusions:

This study could not document the effect of intervention on falling, possibly because of different base line characteristics (more females, P = 0.018, and more living alone P = 0.011 in the intervention group), differences in nursing care between subjects, and different risk factors. Interventions to improve sensory function remain important in rehabilitation, but have to be studied further.

Associated factors of falls in nursing home residents in Hong Kong and the role of restraints: a cross-sectional survey using the Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) 2.0

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

To identify factors associated with falls in non-bedridden nursing home residents in Hong Kong, and to examine whether restraints are protective against falls.

METHODS

Cross-sectional survey of 1710 nursing home residents, examining factors associated with falls and use of restraints, as documented in the RAI questionnaire.

RESULTS

Vision impairment is highly associated with falls (OR 1.75, 95% CI 1.29-2.34), whereas older age (OR 1.03, 95% CI 1.01-1.05), dementia (OR 1.46, 95% CI 1.05-2.04), and intake of psychotropics (OR 1.52, 95% CI 1.06-2.17) were moderately associated. Women were less likely to fall (OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.48-0.90). Walking with aids and taking more medications were not associated with falls in this population. Restraints were used in 68%. The use of any type of restraint was marginally associated with fewer falls (OR 0.73, 95% CI 0.53-1.00).

CONCLUSIONS

Men, those with impaired vision, dementia or taking psychotropic drugs were more likely to fall. Restraints are very commonly used in Hong Kong nursing homes. Although their use was associated with fewer falls, their effect on preventing falls could not be established in this cross-sectional study.