Poster Session 1, 10:30 AM - 11:15 AM: Campus Center Auditorium [A33]

Exploring the Risk Factors of Falls Among Older Adults and Creating a Fall Prevention Resource

Presenter: Sandra Odunukwe

Faculty Sponsor: Ellen Correa

School: UMass Amherst

Research Area: Public Health and Epidemiology

ABSTRACT

Older adults are at greater risk of falls in their homes compared to other age groups. In recent years, one in every three older adults has experienced at least one fall (Lee & Lim, 2023). It should not be considered normal for older adults to fall. This issue is due in part to the quality of their living environment. It is imperative that residences for older adults be designed to accommodate them safely. There are systemic barriers related to capitalism that contribute to these avoidable injuries, such as economic status and ageism. Fall prevention requires home modifications and the minimization of potential hazards (Kim et al., 2023). The condition of the residence, particularly flooring, lighting, spacing, and the lack of safety appliances, all contribute highly to older adults falling. For my critical civic engagement project, I interview older adults and develop recommendations to improve their living spaces. I conducted research on fall prevention methods and incorporated them into my final resource. My final goal is to create an informational resource that discusses ways to improve the safety of the residences of older adults, with an emphasis on low-cost interventions. The objective of my project is to reduce the number of falls among older adults in the community where I live. The project is developed with the Westfield Council on Aging senior center. The overall goal of the fall prevention resource is to support older adults to live safely in their homes and maintain their independence.

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