STAYING ACTIVE AND
STAYING ACTIVE &
FALLS FREE WITH
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
Header
©Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION
• Today’s presenter
– Speaker inserts name, credentials and
contact information here.
PRESENTATION GOALS
• By the end of this presentation, you will be
able to:
• Recognize that most falls among older adults
result from interacting risk factors
• Describe how occupational therapy practitioners
can help you reduce your risk of falls
• Identify strategies and resources that you can use
to reduce your risk for falls
WHY DO FALLS HAPPEN?
TYPES OF FALL RISK FACTORS
Most falls experienced by older adults result from
interacting risk factors
• Physical risk factors: Changes in your
body that increase your risk for a fall
• Behavioral risk factors: Things we do or
don’t do that increase our fall risk
• Environmental risk factors: Hazards in
our home or community
INTERACTING RISK FACTORS
• What are environmental
risk factors?
• What are behavioral risk
factors?
Photograph courtesy of the UIC Dept. of Occupational Therapy
Take a look at this scene:
MINIMIZING RISK FACTORS
WHAT IS OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY?
ABOUT OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
Occupational therapy practitioners:
• Help people of every age do the
things they want and need to do
through the therapeutic use of
everyday activities
• Focus on daily activities to help
people remain as independent as
possible despite injury, illness, or
disability
ABOUT OCCUPATIONS
• The term “occupation”
refers to a person’s
involvement in
meaningful activities.
• For many, “occupations”
are linked to important
life roles and reflect our
values and identities.
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY SETTINGS
Photographs courtesy of the UIC Dept. of Occupational Therapy
REHABILITATION HOSPITAL-BASED
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
Photograph courtesy of the UIC Dept. of Occupational Therapy
HOME AND COMMUNITY BASED
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
Photographs courtesy of the UIC Dept. of Occupational Therapy
Photograph courtesy of MaineHealth
TEAMWORK IN OCCUPATIONAL
THERAPY
• A team approach is particularly important
when it comes to preventing falls!
THE ROLE OF OCCUPATIONAL
THERAPY IN FALL PREVENTION
• Occupational
therapy practitioners
teach people who
are at risk for falls
how to safely do
things that are
important to them.
THE ROLE OF OCCUPATIONAL
THERAPY IN FALL PREVENTION
• Occupational therapy
practitioners work
with people after a
fall-related injury to
help them return to
the things they need
and want to do.
Photograph courtesy of the UIC Dept. of Occupational Therapy
CASE EXAMPLE: TERRY
• Terry fractured his right
wrist.
• Terry’s doctor referred
him to occupational
therapy.
Photograph courtesy of the UIC Dept. of Occupational Therapy
• Terry fell while carrying
a lawn chair down the
steps to his basement.
TERRY’S EVALUATION AND
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY PLAN
• Kate and Terry worked
together to create a plan to
help him continue doing his
daily activities and reduce
his risk of future falls.
Photograph courtesy of the UIC Dept. of Occupational Therapy
• The occupational therapist
completed a thorough
evaluation.
TERRY’S PHYSICAL RISK FACTORS:
MEDICATIONS
• Medications can interact
and create health problems
that increase falls risk.
• Speak with your doctor
about medications and how
they make you feel.
• Stay hydrated
TERRY’S PHYSICAL RISK FACTORS:
VISION
• Have your vision checked
regularly by an eye doctor.
• Make sure that your home
has adequate lighting that
is within reach.
©AOTA 2013
TERRY’S PHYSICAL RISK FACTORS:
BALANCE
• Get involved in communitybased exercise programs for
balance.
Photograph courtesy of the UIC Dept. of Occupational Therapy
• Occupational therapy
practitioners can help you
learn balance exercise and
ways to safely build balance
skills during day-to-day
activities.
TERRY’S ENVIRONMENTAL RISK
FACTORS: FALL HAZARDS
• Addressing fall hazards in the home.
TERRY’S ENVIRONMENTAL RISK
FACTORS: FALL HAZARDS
• An occupational therapy
home safety assessment
involves carefully
assessing a person’s
ability & determining
whether the home
environment fits the
person and promotes
independence.
TERRYS BEHAVIORAL RISK FACTORS
• Occupational therapy
practitioners can help
you problem solve
how to safely do
the occupations or
activities that are
meaningful to you.
TERRY’S BEHAVIORAL RISK FACTORS
• What are alternative ways that you think Terry
could have used to get the patio furniture inside
without putting him at risk for a fall?
TERRY’S BEHAVIORAL RISK FACTORS
– Picking activities
that are a good
match for your
capabilities
Photograph courtesy of the UIC Dept. of Occupational Therapy
• Fall prevention
behaviors
SUMMARY OF TERRY’S
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY PROGRAM
• The program focused on:
– Medication
– Balance
– Vision
– Fall hazards in the home
– Terry’s valued roles and occupations
– Fall prevention behaviors
FALL PREVENTION REFLECTION
• What might you do or what have you done
in the past to protect yourself from falls?
• Do you have tips to share that we haven’t
covered?
SUMMARY OF STRATEGIES TO
REDUCE FALLS RISK
– Manage chronic illnesses or conditions
– Get an eye exam regularly
– Stay hydrated
– Talk to physicians and pharmacists about
medications
– Stay active and exercise regularly
– Find alternatives for potentially risky
behaviors
– Identify and eliminate fall hazards in the home
CONCLUSION
• Remember…
– Falls can be prevented
– Take charge of your health and utilize your
resources
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF AUTHORS
Elizabeth W. Peterson, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA
Clinical Professor
Director of Professional Education
University of Illinois at Chicago
(Bonita) Lynn Beattie, PT, MPT, MHA
Vice President, Injury Prevention
Lead, Falls Free Initiative
Center for Healthy Aging
National Council on Aging
©Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois