| Research Abstract |
[PURPOSE]
This study was carried out to investigate the actual situation and the characteristic of the fall accidents among the elderly, to clarify the relationship between the fall and the physical characteristic, and to obtain the basic guideline of the intervention to prevent the fall among the elderly.
[METHOD and RESULTS]
1. Actual situation of the fall
A questionnaire study on the fall was performed among 296 senior adults (24male, 70.3±7.8 years-old, 272female, 61.5±11.5 years-old), who had experienced fall accidents. Fifty-one percent of the subjects had experienced one fall, 26.4% had 2 falls, 12.8% had 3 falls, and 9.6% had experienced over 4 falls in a year respectively. There was a close relationship between the fracture site and the fall orientation. It was made dear that the fracture occurrence due to the fall accident definitely increased with aging.
2. Relationship between the fall and physical characteristic
Physical characteristics were evaluated on the 227 elderly (198male
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, 29female, 47-89 years old, Ave. 71.1). Then a 8-weeks intervention including exercise and education was carried out and the same evaluation was done. Good walker's index consisting of 10m walking time (6.04±1.53sec→5.76±1.21sec), maximum length of a step (1.25±0.20→1.32±0.20), and 40cm staircase climbing was significantly improved respectively. One-foot standing time, with the right, foot supported, was also improved (16.3±11.4sec→17.9±11.4sec). It was indicated that the fall avoidance ability of the elderly was improved via these interventions.
3. Physical characteristics of the elderly living in a barrier-free welfare home
Good walker's index and balance functions were measured on a total of 38 women, 18 people (Ave. 89.7 years old) living in a barrier-free home and 20 people (Ave. 78.3 years old) who voluntarily participated in the fall prevention school. Values for the good walker's index and parameter of gravinography were significantly lower in the "home" group than in the "school" group.
[CONCLUSION]
Proper intervention, including exercise and education, for the purpose of fall prevention can make the elderly more active and decrease the possibility of the fall accident. Moreover, sedentary living-life in a barrier-free home weakens the physical functions of the elderly, which increases the possibility of the fall. Less
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