Diversity of Research in Health Journal (Mar 2023)
A Concept Analysis: Changes to Homeostasis and the Risk of Falling
Abstract
Annually, more than 30% of older adults experience a fall and most falls occur in the population aged 65 years and older. Research supports that factors leading to increased fall risk include the number of years institutionalized, performance of activities of daily living (ADLs), history of falls, age, diseases/conditions, cognitive impairment, sensory deficits, medication use, aggressive behaviours and environment. These factors destabilize older adults in long-term care (LTC) facilities and lead to falls. The term homeostasis is not present in nursing literature in relation to falls. The aim of this concept analysis was to operationalize the concept of homeostasis in relation to falls and examine how changes to this state can increase fall risk for older adults. Case scenarios and a concept map were used to illustrate the relationship between homeostasis and the risk of falling, in relation to falls in older adults.
