Preventing Falls: A Defensive Approach

by J. Thomas Hutton (Editor), Jeff Elias, PH.D., Ph.D (Editor), Jo Ann Shroyer, PH.D, Ph.D (Editor)

Overview

The risk of serious injury resulting from a fall increases with age as our eyesight, ability to react quickly, memory, and cognitive functions begin to decline. For the growing population of people over age 65, falls can lead to loss of dignity and independence, and they can cause serious injury or even death.

Preventing Falls is an essential guide for the elderly, caregivers, Parkinson's sufferers, and many others who face this health risk in their daily lives. As people age, knowing how to accommodate motor, sensory, and cognitive changes is important. While no single cause for a fall exists, the leading factors are environmental hazards, balance problems, muscle weakness, poor vision, and impaired judgment. Parkinson's patients as well as those with various neurological or muscular disorders are especially prone to falls because their motor skills are seriously compromised. This book addresses valuable skills and coping mechanisms as well as environmental changes and assistive devices that are needed to prevent falls.

Many elderly victims of a fall require the skilled care of a nursing home within a year of the incident, especially those elders who cannot care for themselves and whose family members are unable to provide adequate help. The editors place emphasis on "successful aging"-the ability to maintain mobility and remain independent. Preventing Falls is a handy guidebook for elders to decrease their risk of falls, develop personal confidence, and maintain their independence. This vital sourcebook is complemented with a valuable 60-minute videotape offering step-by-step instruction on the best methods for preventing falls.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781573927611
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	03/01/2000
Series:	Golden Age Bks.
Pages:	116
Product dimensions:	5.97(w) x 8.88(h) x 0.31(d)

About the Author

J. Thomas Hutton, M.D., Ph.D. (Lubbock, TX), is the Director of the Neurology Research and Education Center at Covenant Health System and Medical Director of the National Parkinson Foundation Center of Excellence at Covenant Health System. Jeffrey W. Elias, Ph.D.(Reno, NV), is Associate Director for Research at the Sanford Center on Aging at the University of Nevada. Jo Ann Shroyer, Ph.D. (Lubbock, TX), is Professor and Chair of the Department of Merchandising, Environmental Design, and Consumer Economics at Texas Tech University. Zane Curry, Ph.D. (Lubbock, TX), is Associate Professor in the Department of Merchandising, Environmental Design, and Consumer Economics at Texas Tech University.

Table of Contents

	Foreword	11
	Introduction	13
	Falling Is a Major Health Risk for the Elderly	15
	Falls and Parkinson's Disease	17
	The Defensive Falls School	21
	Fine Motor Coordination	25
	Vision and Falls in the Elderly and in Parkinson's Disease	27
	Age-Related Changes in the Lens of the Eye	27
	Central Nervous System Changes and Vision	28
	Gaze	29
	Parkinson's Disease and Vision	29
	Visual Contrast Sensitivity and Parkinson's Disease	31
	The Built Environment and Vision	35
	Balance and Center of Gravity	37
	Sensory Organization and Balance: Proprioception	38
	Sensory Organization and Balance: Vision	40
	Pronation/Supination	41
	Gait, Posture, and Risk of Falls in Parkinson's Disease	43
	Control of Gait	43
	Age-Related Changes in Gait	44
	Gait and Parkinson's Disease	44
	Assessing Gait	45
	Coping with Freezing	47
	High-Risk Conditions and Built Environment Interventions	51
	Surface Transition Areas	52
	Stepbacks, Turn Areas, Acceleration Zones, and Elevation Changes	53
	Slips, Slides, and Slumps	54
	Executive Function and Falls in Parkinson's Disease	57
	Behavior and Executive Function	57
	Attention and Executive Function	58
	Progression of Executive Function Decline	58
	Executive Function and Falls	59
	Anticipating Falls and Reducing Distractions	61
	Physical Evaluation	63
	Home Safety Assessments	65
	Illustrations of Hazardous Situations and Solutions	66
	Transfer Techniques	79
	Dizziness and Orthostatic Hypotension	83
	Walking Aids and Assistive Devices	85
	Recovery from a Fall	87
	Conclusion	89
	Appendices
A.	Defensive Falls School Curriculum	91
B.	Defensive Falls School Assessments	93
C.	Parkinson's Disease Fall Profile	103
D.	Suggested Readings and References	109
E.	Contributors	113