Fall-Related Injury
Odds for injurious fall heightened with fall-risk increasing drug prescription in COPD
The adjusted likelihood for an injurious fall in adults with COPD was elevated with a fall-risk increasing drug prescription, according to results published in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases: Journal of the COPD Foundation.
Dementia more frequently diagnosed in older adults within a year of fall-related injury
Falling was associated with an increased risk for a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias in older adults, according to a recent analysis in JAMA Network Open.
In-home standing desk improved motor skills, quality of life in adults with Parkinson’s
CHICAGO — Use of an in-home therapy desk improved motor skills and balance and reduced sedentarism in adults with Parkinson’s disease, according to data at the International Association of Parkinsonism and Related Disorders World Congress.
Speed-based cognitive exercises may reduce likelihood of falls in high-risk older adults
Speed of processing training reduced the risk for future falls over 10 years in high-risk older adults, while reasoning and memory training did not reduce the likelihood of future falls in this population, according to research.
Sarcopenia prevalence high with HFrEF, predicts adverse outcomes
Sarcopenia significantly increases risk for adverse outcomes in adults with HF with reduced ejection fraction, including death and rehospitalization, as well as risk for falls and hospitalization, researchers reported.
Q&A: PCPs can help ensure injuries are not a ‘normal part of aging’
More than 2.4 million ED visits and 700,000 hospitalizations among adults aged 65 years and older were caused by injuries from falls, motor vehicle accidents, opioid overdoses and self-harm in 2018, according to data in MMWR.
42% of older adults have unmet need for assistive bathing, toileting devices
A nationally representative cohort study estimated that 5 million older adults in the U.S. who have difficulty performing self-care tasks or are at risk for falls lack access to grab bars, shower seats and other assistive devices.
High-dose vitamin D does not prevent falls among older adults
Among older adults with an elevated fall risk and low serum 25-dydroxyvitamin D levels, daily vitamin D3 supplementation at doses of 1,000 IU did not prevent falls compared with a 200 IU dose, according to a randomized clinical trial.
Q&A: Toolkit reduces falls among hospitalized patients
A fall prevention toolkit that engages hospitalized patients and their families was linked to fewer falls and injuries, according to research published in JAMA Network Open.
Intervention somewhat effective in reducing serious falls
An intervention implemented in primary care settings reduced serious fall injuries among older adults but was not as effective as expected, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.