The Perceptions and Rehabilitation Experience of Older People After Falling in the Hospital.

PURPOSE: Falls are a major cause of disability and mortality due to injury. To reduce fall rates and improve health outcomes, it is important to design services based on patient experience and engagement. This study aimed to explore the experiences of older patients who fell during their hospital stay.

DESIGN

Five patients from two rehabilitation wards in the United Kingdom participated in this qualitative study.

METHODS

Semistructured interviews, incident reports, and medical records provided information about each fall. Thematic, discourse, and descriptive analysis were used to analyze data.

FINDINGS: The data demonstrated how a fall impacted patients' experience of rehabilitation and resulted in changes to mobility, self-confidence, management of falls risk, avoidance of daily activities, and increased assistance from others.

CONCLUSIONS

Falling in hospital can influence patients' ability to reach their potential of an optimal level of functioning.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: There is a need to place an equal and mutual understanding on the physical, psychological, and social impact of falling to reduce falls and improve functional outcomes.