How do I Calculate Risk for Falls?

Falls happen for many different reasons, and elderly adults have the highest risk of falls. Chronic medical conditions, poor eyesight, and being on multiple medications place elderly adults at risk for falling. According to the Journal of Gerontology, one-half of nursing home residents and one-third of community-living adults over the age of 65 fall every year. And this does not include seniors living alone at home. Falls have devastating effects on the elderly, resulting in fractures, serious injuries and death. It is important to identify a patient's risk for falls in order to prevent injury and maintain a level of independence.

Instructions

• 1

  Complete an Environmental Risk Assessment sheet and acquire other caretaker's opinions involved in the patient's care. Other health-care personnel observe the patient performing different tasks, making their assessments of the patient necessary for calculating an accurate fall risk. Facilities have different screening tools, but most follow the same guidelines, which include assessing the patient's bathroom for hazardous conditions, checking the height of the bed for dangers when getting out of bed, and inspecting for unsecured throw rugs in the living area.

• 2

  Review the patient's chart and evaluate for physical risk factors such as a history of falls, degenerative conditions, acute illness, mental illness, and recent surgeries that could affect the patient's functioning ability. The Seek Wellness website states that the more risk factors an elder person has, the higher his or her risk of falling will be in the future. Be alert for recent additions to the chart, including acute illnesses, medication changes, and newly prescribed medications that could have an immediate impact on a patient's condition.

• 3

  Assistive devices are encouraged when performing a walking test.

  Perform a mobility evaluation of the patient in an environment familiar to the patient. Evaluate the person's ability to get up from a chair, walk a short distance of about 10 feet, and turn around to walk back to the chair. This test is often referred to as the "get up and go" test because it helps evaluate a patient's gait, maneuverability and balance.

• 4

  Examine the patient's medication list and locate the medications in the Physicians Desk Reference (PDR), a book used by health-care personnel to obtain current information on medications. Check the PDR for possible medication interactions and adverse reactions to drugs that affect a person's ability to function. Pay special attention to blood pressure medications, because these medications often cause dizziness when standing or changing positions.

• 5

  Educate the patient and his or her family on the patient's risk of falls and agree on an intervention plan. According to the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, fall intervention programs are designed to reduce the severity of fall-related injuries and to prevent future falls from occurring. Interventions include clearing the patient's environment of all hazards, evaluating patients for pain or underlying medical conditions, reviewing medication lists, and referring patients for physical therapy when necessary.