Reflection on Achievement of Outcomes Concept Map

Healthy People 2020 Impact Paper; Falls in Older Adults

About one-third of all falls by older people each year result in serious injury or death, according to the Healthy People 2020 campaign (Healthy People 2020, n.d.). Preventing and reducing the risk of accidents by determining what causes slips and falls and what can be done to prevent them in the present and the future. Falls and fall prevention among the elderly in Illinois will be the focus of this study. An investigation of morbidity and death rates in the vulnerable population will also be examined. This document will provide an overview of the Healthy People 2020 ambitions, key themes, goals, and strategies for preventing falls in this vulnerable group. Conclusions and recommendations on community-driven intervention programs for the population targeted with the goal of decreasing mortality, morbidity, and fall rates will be included in this paper.

Falls may have life-threatening consequences for the people who are at risk. The most common cause of injury and death in people 65 and older is a fall. In 2012, 756 people aged 65 and over in Illinois died as a result of accidental falls (Grossman et al., 2018). Over eighty-four percent of 2012’s accidental fall-related fatalities were among those 65 and older (2013). As many as 53% of the elderly people who fall in Illinois will end up in a nursing home (Grossman et al., 2018). Falls are already costing hospitals $30 billion annually, but according to some estimates, that number may rise to $54.9 billion by 2020. (Kiel, Schmader & Lin, 2018). The occurrence of falls among the elderly has been extensively studied, and the results of this research provide evidence-based recommendations for reducing the risk of falls and instilling a sense of safety among the elderly.

Geriatric Falls in Illinois

Geriatrics in Illinois are no different from those in any other state. Geriatrics are believed to be declining at a rate of one person every thirty minutes. There is a chance that the elderly person would suffer many injuries or possibly die as a result of this accident. A person’s risk of falling increases by 50% when they reach the age of 65, according to the CDC’s research in Illinois. Falls may lead to a variety of health problems, including muscle weakness in the lower body, vitamin D insufficiency, trouble walking and maintaining balance, the need for additional drugs, and foot discomfort. However, there is a simple solution to avoid these mishaps. When it comes to keeping the elderly safe from falling, nothing beats education. For certain elderly groups, one-on-one care may be required.

Data on Mortality and Morbidity

When it comes to geriatric deaths, there is no better killer than falls. Geriatric patients who fall are more likely to develop difficulties in the near future or perhaps die as a direct result. Osteoporosis rates grow in senior individuals who have fallen, which is linked with a higher risk of morbidity. About 36% of patients treated to emergency rooms in Illinois are hospitalized due to falls (Lesser et al., 2018). This particular population’s revisits are for the purpose of preventing more falls or possibly death. The most common cause for geriatric emergency department visits and admissions is a fall (Lesser et al., 2018). Elderly people are twice as likely to go to the ER if they have previously suffered a fall.

Healthy People 2020

A fall is treated in an emergency room every 13 seconds, according to the Healthy People 2020 report. About a third of the elderly people who fall are above the age of 65. Evidence-based practice initiatives are offered to the senior population in order to avoid falls, as stated by Healthy People 2020. These include services for the elderly, as well as other community resources.

Proper caregivers allocated to persons at risk of falling are an important strategy for the senior population to reduce the frequency of falls. Adults in hospitals who are in danger of falling should have a one-to-one caregiver allocated to them. Patients who are in danger of falling in their own homes should have a caregiver on call to assist them while they are out and about or going to the restroom. When an elderly person is alone at home, there should be measures in place to limit the risk of a fall. Wearing non-skid socks, avoiding having rugs or carpets in the home, and installing railings in bathrooms and other high-traffic areas like stairwells and bathtubs are just a few of the preventative strategies available. Healthy People 2020’s mission is to educate the elderly about self-care and fall prevention by providing them with information on the approaches outlined above.

Health Promotion Review

Elderly people (65 and older) grow healthier and live longer in the United States. To deal with this problem, Frontiers in Public Health suggests a multi-pronged preventative strategy (Grossman et al., 2018). Those with a higher risk of falling should have their fall risk assessed. In addition to the usual fall prevention teaching, it is critical to repeat these exams and include in them how drugs might mix and contribute to falls, home safety, exercise or strength-building programs, and the usage of vitamin D. (Kiel, Schmader & Lin, 2018).

Understanding the strategies outlined by Healthy People 2020 will be critical to achieving the initiative’s aim of avoiding falls among the elderly population. The most important strategy is to educate this group on avoiding falls, either via nurse education or tight caregiver assignments. Following a fall prevention plan may be used to reduce the number of falls in the geriatric population (Goldberg et al., 2020). Geriatrics will be able to follow a specific procedure to lessen the number of falls they have over the course of a year.

All of the recommendations in Healthy People 2020 apply to the older population, including the recommended interventions. Elderly people, particularly those with a history of falling, need to be closely supervised by caretakers (Goldberg et al., 2020). By adhering to provider guidelines, you may help minimize the number of emergency department visits.

Conclusion

In summation, fall-related geriatric fatalities and health issues are very common in the elderly population. Elderly adults are admitted to emergency rooms most often due to falls. Most elderly in Illinois who end up in the ER do so because of a fall, accounting for 33% of all visits. Proper fall-prevention education for older adults is recommended by the Healthy People 2020 initiative. Preventing falls may be as easy as putting on non-skid socks while walking about the home, or it can be as complex as assigning a caretaker to each patient. Elderly falls are a particular concern for Healthy People 2020. That is because better patient outcomes and higher levels of care quality may be achieved via effective fall prevention.

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