Perspectives and experiences of community-dwelling older adults who experience falling: A qualitative meta-synthesis.
Huimin Jiang, Haobin Yuan, Stephen Tee and 1 others
PMID 38707695WHAT IT FOUND
Older adults after falls described pain, fear, less activity and independence, and social withdrawal.
Some blamed themselves, denied falls, or saw them as inevitable; others used walking aids, home changes, and slowing down.
Key findings
01Older adults after falls reported pain, restricted daily and social activity, reduced independence, fear, and helplessness.
02Their explanations varied: some blamed ageing, hazards, chance, or themselves; some denied or hid falls; some saw falls as unavoidable, while others actively tried to prevent another fall.
03Coping included walking aids, handrails, alarms, slowing down, and home changes such as removing loose mats or lowering cupboards; some could not recall previous fall-prevention advice.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The included studies were only from Ireland, America, Netherlands, England, and Australia. Sixteen articles were not retrieved in full text, so some potentially relevant work may be missing. Only studies published from 2010 onward and in English were included. The included studies were conducted and published at an earlier time, so they may not capture current society, policy, or technology. The synthesized findings were rated moderate or low on the review's confidence rating. Qualitative synthesis can be influenced by researchers' theoretical position, biases, and assumptions.
Declared interests
The work was supported by Macao Polytechnic University, and the authors say the funder had no role in design, implementation, or analysis. The authors declare no competing interests.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the reported coping strategies, such as walking aids, home changes, or slowing down, as evidence that they prevent falls. This review synthesizes older adults' experiences and attitudes; it does not test whether these strategies reduce falls.