Older women's responses and decisions after a fall: The work of getting “back to normal”

ABSTRACT

In this descriptive qualitative research, we examined older women's responses and decisions after experiencing a fall. Falls were unexpected, sudden events that heightened these women's awareness of their physical, emotional, spiritual, and social independence. Interviewees reported assessing personal, physical, and emotional needs; feeling burdened by the extra work; trying to get back to normal; seeking and obtaining assistance and spiritual support; avoiding specific people, objects, and places; planning ahead; and putting the fall out of mind. Consideration of older women's post-fall responses and decisions should be incorporated into fall prevention and management programs, services, and clinical recommendations.

Acknowledgments

We thank all the study participants as well as the assistance of local CCRC staff in the recruitment efforts.

Funding

This research is funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (award DPO-128619).