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The increased longevity of the baby boomers is posing challenges for these people in terms of health and well-being. Efficient and effective disease prevention and health promotion strategies have to be developed and implemented so that the health and life quality of the elderly can be improved significantly. Research and methodology on aging issues underscore the importance to monitor health status and genetic defects that would eventually lead to frailty and functional decline (Heller, 2019).
Falls contribute to a major challenge for healthcare organizations and contribute to poor patient health outcomes, mortality, morbidity, and healthcare costs. The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) preventive measures call for an integrative approach focusing on exercise therapy, multifactorial interventions, and vitamin D supplementation. Things that need to be addressed include psychological health, balance and gait, vision, cognition, diet and nutrition, environmental conditions, and medications. Multiple targeted intervention components like exercise (supervised or unsupervised), knowledge (via lectures, DVDs, pamphlets), psychological (Cognitive behavioral therapy), medication management, environment modifications (assistive technology recommendations), specialists (neurologists, ophthalmologists, cardiologists), and referral to occupational or physical therapy were included (Guirguis-Blake et al., 2018).
The clinical prevention interventions have been successful and brought a significant reduction in falls. Multifactorial fall prevention and exercise intervention has contributed tremendously towards the reduction in falls. However, the association between fall prevention and vitamin supplementation is not evident and yielded mixed results; higher doses are related to high rates of fall outcomes. Evidence for exercise is highly correlated with multiple fall-related outcomes (Guirguis-Blake et al., 2018). The health promotion and disease prevention approach for the elderly should be tailored and designed with respect to individual health risks, preventing avoidable impairments, and addressing primary as well as secondary disease prevention. The interventions should address the domains of cognitive, mental, and physical health, workplace considerations, recreational activities, accommodation, nutrition, and assistive technology (Heller, 2019). Fall reduction, in any healthcare setting, requires an organized, consistent approach that facilitates change and achieves sustainable outcomes. However, the interventions should correlate with the individual’s risk factors and should be initiated prior to the occurrence of falls.
References
Guirguis-Blake, J. M., Michael, Y. L., Perdue, L. A., Coppola, E. L., &Beil, T. L. (2018). Interventions to prevent falls in older adults updated evidence report and systematic review for the US Preventive Services Task Force. JAMA Clinical Review & Education, 319(16), 1705-1716. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2017.21962
Heller, T. (2019). Bridging aging and intellectual/developmental disabilities in research, policy, and practice. Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities 16(1), 53-57. https://doi.org/10.1111/jppi.12263
