@article{ref1,
title="Falls and fear of falling among older adults in an assisted-living facility: a qualitative and foundational study for intervention development in a developing country",
journal="Archives of gerontology and geriatrics",
year="2021",
author="Okoye, Emmanuel Chiebuka and Akosile, Christopher Olusanjo and Maruf, Fatai Adesina and Onwuakagba, Ifeoma Uchenna and Mgbeojedo, Ukamaka Gloria",
volume="94",
number="",
pages="e104375-e104375",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Falls and fear of falling (FOF) have serious adverse effects for older adults. Culturally-specific and environmentally-tailored interventions may help address the problems of falls and FOF. No such interventions are however available for use in the African context. <br><br>OBJECTIVE: To explore falls and FOF among older adults in an assisted-living facility, as a foundation for developing interventions to address falls and FOF. <br><br>METHODS: This qualitative study involved purposefully recruiting nine older adults and four caregivers at an assisted-living facility in Southeast Nigeria. Focus group discussions were conducted separately for older adults and the caregivers. Data were analysed using an Inductive Approach. <br><br>RESULTS: Four themes emerged: incidence of falls and fear of falling; factors associated with falls and fear of falling; health implications of falls and fear of falling; and coping strategies to deal with falls and fear of falling. Older adults were experiencing a high prevalence of falls and FOF perceived to be caused by both cultural/environmental/institutional-related factors (poorly lit environment at night; poor ambulatory surfaces; unwillingness to accept age-related changes in physical capacity; poor disposition towards walking aids; poor treatment of injuries; misconceptions; poor physical activity participation; and external perturbation) and intrinsic factors (psychological/emotional, concentration/attention, socio-demographic and morbidity-related). <br><br>CONCLUSION: The older adults were experiencing a high prevalence of falls and FOF which has a multifactorial origin of common and cultural/societal/institutional/environmental-related factors. The need for a multicomponent and culturally and environmentally-specific interventions to address falls and FOF in this sample is thus highlighted.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0167-4943",
doi="10.1016/j.archger.2021.104375",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.archger.2021.104375"
}