Risk Factors Associated with Falls in the Elderly Rehabilitation Client
- 1 February 1999
- journal article
- Published by Wiley in Australasian Journal on Ageing
- Vol. 18 (1) , 27-31
- https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-6612.1999.tb00085.x
Abstract
Objective: The purpose of the study was to determine risk factors associated with falls in an elderly rehabilitation client group.Method: The study involved retrospective analysis of incident reports/medical files over four years of 87 clients who had fallen in the aged care rehabilitation unit under study. A comparison group was chosen of 87 randomly selected clients who did not fall during their rehabilitation program. Factors involved were analysed using a logistic regression equation to develop a model of those at risk of falling.Results: The factors that were associated with falls in the elderly include confusion, primary diagnosis of stroke, lower limb amputation and sleep disturbances.Conclusion: The elderly client who was confused, had a primary diagnosis of stroke, a recent lower limb amputation or experienced sleep disturbances was at increased risk of falling while undergoing in‐patient rehabilitation.Keywords
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