Title: Residents’ environment safety for fall prevention in a long-term care facility
Abstract:
Fall is one of the remarkable safety concerns in later life. Researchers have determined the age-related changes that contribute to the high incidence of falls like reduced visual capacity (Eliopoulos, 2013; Touchy, 2015), problems differentiating shades of the same color (Fillit, Rockwood and Young, 2016), cataracts (Malone, 2014), poor vision at night and in dimly lit areas (Sorrentino and Remmert, 2012). They also found that less foot and toe lift during stepping (Judge, 2017), an altered center of gravity leading to balance being lost more easily, slower responses (Gerdin, 2,015) and urinary frequency (Wold, 2015). And, they’ve discovered too, that medications particularly those that can cause dizziness (Stern 2015), drowsiness, orthostatic hypertension, and incontinence, such as antihypertensive (Karch, 2017), sedatives (Laguna, 2017), antipsychotics and diuretics (Potter and Perry, 2016).
This study aimed to determine the residents’ environment safety for fall prevention in a long-term care facility as perceived by external stakeholders in terms of access and circulation, orientation, signage, surface treatment, equipment and furniture, toilet and bathroom, bed-based bathroom, and bedroom.
Based on the findings, the following conclusions were drawn:
1. Majority of the respondents belong to 21-39 age group, female, college graduate, single and from National Capital Region.
2. The respondents’ disagreed to some extent as regards the overall environment safety in G.R.A.C.E.S. which means “low extent.” The Environmental Theory of Florence Nightingale states that environment plays a vital role on the health of an individual that can be achieved by having adequate ventilation and controlled light and noise (Alligood, 2017), the 21 Nursing Problems Theory of Faye Abdellah (Wayne, 2014) stresses the need to promote safety through prevention of accident, injury, or other trauma and finally the theory of Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (2013) emphasizes that the second level in the hierarchy is safety and security of environment; however, in G.R.A.C.E.S. the environment has a low extent of safety. As a result, the residents are not secured.
On the basis of the findings and conclusions, the following recommendations were made:
1. That environmental safety must be practiced, incorporated and maintained. As to nurses, they should be responsible and ensure in the safe and effective delivery of older care; protect older from risk, danger or injury; comply with the policy guidelines on the standards of care for older persons in all healthcare settings of the Department of Health Administrative Order 2017-0001. In addition, nurses should possess keen awareness of the safety skills and abilities which is crucial in the health maintenance and protection of the older persons.
2. That a similar study on safety of a long-term facility be made but should include and focus on a larger sample of respondents, if possible to include older residents from other facilities and compare results as well as to target and subject family members of an older persons not yet admitted in a long-term facility.
Audience Take Away Notes:
1. For them to know the extent of environment safety in a long term facility situated in the Philippines
2. For them to know what are the existing nursing theories concerning environment safety for the older persons
3. For them to know what recommended strategies can be done to promote a safe environment for older persons
