Notes

Fall Risk Assessment Tool for Elderly People
Falls are a significant threat to older adults' health and wellbeing. A multifactorial approach is necessary when assessing risk for falls; one that takes into account an individual's environment, behaviour and physical/cognitive abilities as well as any possible screening tools available (particularly in primary care settings). Unfortunately due to their complex causes of falling only simple tests or questionnaires can reliably identify those at high risk for falls.

This systematic review sought to identify and assess the predictive performance of short falls risk assessment tools (FRST) used by community-dwelling older people for screening purposes to detect those needing further fall risk evaluation or intervention. Six FRSTs were identified and their predictive performances evaluated. Of these tests, only one, the Scripted FRST, proved most suitable for primary care settings due to being quick, easy to administer and needing no special training or equipment. This screening tested for self-reported or observed fall history, balance and gait problems, weighted risk factors and predetermined risk scores to identify individuals at risk of falling and was found to accurately detect frailer older people than mJH-FRST and FRSA tests.

Not only do FRSTs assess falls and their severity, they often also evaluate physical environment (floor surfaces and lighting), client health status and lifestyle considerations. Unfortunately, this often takes additional time and can leave seniors exhausted and vulnerable; especially concerning home care situations where therapists visit patients at their own homes.


Few FRSTs include questions on past falls and the types of assistance an individual requires to maintain their independence, however these assessments often are unable to distinguish between people experiencing falls due to age-related changes versus fractures or head trauma. FES-International is an innovative multifactorial tool developed specifically for community use that uses 30 risk factors that are ranked out of 30 to determine an older adult's risk level for falling. medical alarm These scores determine if they are at low, moderate, or high risk.

This review's findings indicate the need to create an easier, shorter falls risk screening tool suitable for use in primary care settings and that can be administered without needing specialized training by healthcare professionals. Such a screening tool should include multiple factors like gait, balance and strength as these are the three primary risk factors associated with falls in older adults; furthermore, its design must ensure it can easily understandable by all patients residing across even remote communities. tracker for dementia patients

My Website: https://personalmedicalalarm.com/wandering/