Assessment of potential risk factors for falls in the frail elderly versus individual mobility considerations

Marek Zak¹, Magdalena Namysl²

Summary
Background: The frequency of falls in the elderly breaks down as 33% amongst outpatients, 20% in hospitalised patients, and 45% in nursing home residents. Both the frail elderly and their relatively fit peers are equally exposed to a potential risk of fall.
Materials and methods: The study group comprised 78 nursing home residents (aged 65-94). A timed „Up-and-Go” test was applied in order to assess individual mobility. All assessments were pursued in compliance with the Pilet and Swine method. Group I comprised subjects who scored 12 seconds or more (50 subjects – 41 women, 9 men; mean age 81 years), whereas Group II comprised those who scored 8 seconds or less (28 subjects – 17 women, 11 men; mean age 77 years).
Results: There were no statistically significant differences in the risk of fall assessment. In Group I (where the subjects scored worse in the timed „Up-and-Go” test), a high risk of fall was reported in 84% of subjects, whereas in Group II (better test scores) it was about 71%. The subjects proved most at risk when attempting to change posture, or when assessed for their individual sense of balance.
Conclusions: We cannot conclude that better locomotive capabilities in the elderly reduce the individual risk of an accidental fall. Paradoxically, the highest risk correlated with executing the apparently simple tasks of daily life.

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