Influence of cognitive impairment on fall risk among elderly nursing home residents.
Int Psychogeriatr
; 28(12): 1975-1987, 2016 12.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-27605458
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Information relating the severity of cognitive decline to the fall risk in institutionalized older adults is still scarce. This study aims to identify potential fall risk factors (medications, behavior, motor function, and neuropsychological disturbances) depending on the severity of cognitive impairment in nursing home residents.METHODS:
A total of 1,167 nursing home residents (mean age 81.44 ± 8.26 years; 66.4% women) participated in the study. According to the MEC, (the Spanish version of the Mini-Mental State Examination) three levels of cognitive impairment were established mild (20-24) "MCI", moderate (14-19) "MOCI", and severe (≤14) "SCI". Scores above 24 points indicated the absence cognitive impairment (NCI). Information regarding fall history and fall risk during the previous year was collected using standardized questionnaires and tests.RESULTS:
Sixty falls (34%) were registered among NCI participants and 417 (43%) among people with cognitive impairment (MCI 35%; MOCI 40%; SCI 50%). A different fall risk model was observed for MCI, MOCI, SCI, and NCI patients. The results imply that the higher the level of cognitive impairment, the greater the number of falls (F1,481 = 113.852; Sig = 0.015), although the level of significance was not maintained when MOCI and SCI participants were compared. Depression, neuropsychiatric disturbances, autonomy constraints in daily life activity performance, and low functional mobility were factors closely associated with fall risk.CONCLUSION:
This study provides evidence indicating that fall risk factors do not hold a direct correlation with the level of cognitive impairment among elderly nursing home care residents.Key words
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Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Accidental Falls
/
Geriatric Assessment
/
Risk Assessment
/
Cognitive Dysfunction
/
Homes for the Aged
/
Nursing Homes
Type of study:
Diagnostic_studies
/
Etiology_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limits:
Aged
/
Aged80
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Country/Region as subject:
Europa
Language:
En
Journal:
Int Psychogeriatr
Journal subject:
GERIATRIA
/
PSIQUIATRIA
Year:
2016
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
España