The evaluation of the factors effecting the risk of falls in elderly patients' treatment process

This study is a cross sectional type descriptive study which aims to evaluate factors related to falls or risk of falls experienced by patients aged 65 and above in the last one year. Research sample comprises of 125 patients who are aged above 65, staying in three big private hospitals and a university hospital in Istanbul. Research was conducted in the dates between April and June 2010. Data were collected by face to face interview, examining patients? files and by means of ?Patient Diagnosis Form? and ?Standardized Mini-Mental Test?, ?Barthel Index?, ?Hendrich II Risk for Falls Model? which were prepared with the help of literature information by the researcher. Statistical analysis of the obtained data was performed by the use of SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) program. Average age of the individuals was 73.42±6.41. 84.8% of them had chronic disease history, 76 % of them used auxiliary tools to continue their daily life activities, and 68% of them experienced invasive intervention during current hospitalization. Average number of medicines the patients used at their homes was 4.46±2.41, and the average number of medicines the patients used in the hospital was 6.72±3.00. When patients? fall experiences were questioned, it was determined that 32.8% of them had fallen in the last one year and 70% of the fallen ones experienced these falls indoors. It was seen in the research that individuals had at least one chronic disease history, number and types of the medicines they used were high, majority of them used auxiliary tools and they were functionally dependent. These findings display that fall prevalence and risk factors that increase falling are high in the individuals above 65. Therefore, it is suggested that nurses should perform relevant evaluations about risk factors for falls and their prevention in elder patients; and required measures should be taken accordingly in public places and health institutions.Keywords: Old age, falling, risk factors for falls