Falls Prevention Proposal

Final Paper: Falls Prevention Proposal
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Final Paper: Falls Prevention Proposal
Introduction
The issue of falls among the elderly has become a public health problem of concern due to the associated ramifications. Studies illustrate global nations, including the United States and other developed countries, are starting to recognize the gravity of this issue in their societies (Whipple et al., 2017). While governments have been advancing programs for caring for the elderly in different settings, the case of falls has not received sufficient attention, as illustrated by inadequate modification of routine structures and other supporting elements in societies to accommodate the increasing number of elderly persons. According to Cuevas-Trisan (2019), the population of older adults is increasing at a high rate in various nations, and the United States is no exception. Khanuja et al. (2018) indicate that individuals over 65 years are the most vulnerable to age-related falls, and the risks increase with age. The authors acknowledge that gait and balance-based abnormalities emerge during these years, making falls a significant outcome. In this context, findings confirm that 35% of individuals aged over 70 years suffer from muscular degeneration, while the rate goes up to over 61% for those beyond 80 years (Khanuja et al., 2018). These statistics demonstrate that falls are commonplace among the elderly. As a result, the increasing number of elderly individuals in the nation, accompanied by a minimally adapted environment to these persons’ needs, illustrates this topic’s gravity.
The alarming reality is that most facilities and homes for the elderly are not adjusted to suit their gait and balance challenges. Khanuja et al. (2018) acknowledge these drawbacks and relate them to diverse adverse healthcare outcomes. In this context, Cuevas-Trisan (2019) illustrates the current consequences of this situation by providing a detailed report of the prevalence in the nation. For instance, the authors indicate that by 2014, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had recorded that 28.7% of older people in America had experienced a fall within the last 12 months. This percentage translates to approximately 29 million falls with potential morbidity and mortality-related injuries. Cuevas-Trisan (2019) further indicates that 2.8 million individuals received treatment for varied injury severity, with a significant proportion becoming candidates for hospitalization. Other studies by Burns and Kakara (2018) indicate that fall-related consequences have risen since 2007. The authors suggest that these falls are now ranked seventh among the leading causes of death in the United States, illustrating the seriousness of the problem. In 2016, the nation reported that about 29,668 citizens succumbed to falls, and the rate has increased. Cuevas-Trisan (2019) notes that although falls affect both genders indiscriminately, women say falling more than their male counterparts. The author underscores the value of identifying the diverse factors causing falls in homes, elderly care centers, and hospitals and devising the appropriate techniques for addressing them. Due to its complexity, Burns and Kakara (2018) also emphasize that concerted efforts are fundamental for addressing this issue. Cuevas-Trisan (2019) agrees with this observation by stating that stakeholders should consider incorporating multifactorial interventions for addressing the problem.
Benefits of the Proposal to the Community
The proposal for executing diverse structural and lighting changes, introducing assistive technologies, and physical activities will induce far-reaching benefits to the community. One of these is that it will drastically reduce the number of falls and associated mortality and morbidity rates. Deaths related to elderly falls have become a leading issue of concern in communities, as illustrated by Burns and Kakara (2018). The authors indicate that mortality rates due to falls among this group increased by approximately 3% annually from 2007 to 2016. Cuevas-Trisan (2019) also confirms that the country has progressively been grappling with this issue, considering falls are preventable. Yet, they continue to burden the nation with significantly high rates of deaths. Addressing the diverse factors that trigger these adverse health outcomes through the proposed changes in this project would drastically reduce the unintentional falls and, consequently, the mortality rates.
Elderly falls are a cause of financial burdens in communities. According to Haddad et al. (2019), research has uncovered the costs of these falls and demonstrated the extent to which they stretch the available resources that could have been directed to other constructive purposes. For instance, some estimates indicate that the nation spends up to 49.5 billion dollars yearly addressing fall-related expenses, while others suggest that the figure is about 31.3 billion (Haddad et al., 2019). Estimations using insurance claims, state budgets, official records, and facility surveys also indicate that falls trigger widespread medical-related expenses that rank the condition fifth among all other health conditions by attracting $36.8 billion in expenditure in 2013 (Haddad et al., 2019). Despite the variations in economic spending, some consistency arises because approximations by Khanuja et al. (2018) present a figure of about $31 billion annually. The trend emerging from these statistics is that hospitalization and other treatment related to falls trigger concerning economic burdens. Haddad et al. (2019) confirm that the government spends 8% of Medicaid costs for the aged population on falls. It is even more concerning that projections indicate that global expenses could rise to $240 billion annually by 2040 (Khanuja et al., 2018). As a result, implementing strategies that could save the governments from this financial burden would redirect these finances to other developmental aspects of the communities. Thus, this awareness makes the proposals fundamental and urgent.
The affected population also lives in constant fear of falling, negatively impacting its quality of life. Whipple et al. (2017) state that the elderly refrain from engaging in functional and other daily activities due to this fear. Statistics indicate that about 20% to 39% of older persons grapple with this fear in their dwellings because of a lack of assistive technologies or modified structures to improve their routine operations. Whipple et al. (2017) agree that this fear has become a leading hindrance to social and physical activities among the elderly, leading to a diminished quality of life. The consequence is that this behavior worsens their future likelihood of falls. It also makes these outcomes more severe due to compromised balance and gait. As a result, introducing strategies that address the fear and reduce the risk of falls in the communities would restore the quality of life of the affected populations. Such a change would also improve their overall health outcomes through physical activity programs (Thomas et al., 2019). As a result, this proposal demonstrates that it has far-reaching and comprehensive benefits.
How is the Program Different from Existing Ones in the Community?
The proposal by the Elderly Falls Elimination Center approaches the falls issue in Illinois as an independent problem without amalgamating it with other elderly-related issues. Preliminary research indicates that the larger Chicago region has diverse programs targeting the elderly. However, these initiatives fail to address elderly falls independently and combine them with other challenges in old age, making the solution ineffective. For instance, Phelan and Ritchey (2018) claim that stakeholders integrate diverse strategies for addressing falls within community dwellers. However, the article does not identify the specific strategy targeting to adjust the environmental factors that increase the vulnerability of older persons to falls within their homes and other settings. Instead, a significant proportion of the efforts go to education and commendations for physical activities to increase their balance and gait. Although these approaches are critical in addressing the issue, they are insufficient, confirming the reason for rising falls in the nation.
Unlike the past and existing programs, the current proposal seeks to take a more refined approach to elderly fall prevention. One of the leading interventions is to direct resources to structural modifications and improve the living spaces of the elderly. This method will ensure essential elements like the presence of railings to support themselves while going up and down the stairs, including the ones leading to their doorways, are available. It will also integrate other supportive facilities through their homes and remove potential home-based hazards that would increase the potential for falls. Other suggested improvements include lighting their houses appropriately to counter their diminishing vision (Phelan & Ritchey, 2018). It will also second these efforts with instructed physical activities by Elderly Falls Elimination Center professionals to ensure these individuals progressively build their strength to avert the likelihood of falls by improving muscle strength and balance. Other critical components absent in existing programs are integrating assistive devices and sensible shoes for the elderly to enhance their capacity to overcome falls. These recommendations make this program unique and thorough in the targeted community.
Proposed Project Outline and Timetable for Completion
This proposal recognizes the urgency of implementing various changes to address the older persons’ fall issue in Illinois. Although some regional programs attempt to address the same problem, they remain inadequate, demanding a more comprehensive project to complement the existing efforts in eliminating this persistent challenge. The World Health Organization (2021) report indicates that falls within communities and elderly care homes arise from diverse, interconnected factors. This report emphasizes fundamental aspects highlighted by past studies, including those by Phelan and Ritche...