ASSIGNMENT HELP | Fall risks are very high for the geriatric population.

Fall risks are very high for the geriatric population. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2013), one out of every three adults aged 65 years and older falls each year. This can be attributed to factors such as changes in aging, other health issues, environment, and effects of prescribed drugs. When caring for geriatric patients, it is important to screen them for risks and perform fall-risk assessments. These assessment tools help to determine the level of risk for patients so that preventive measures can be taken. The implications of falls are very serious and range from fractures to mental health disorders and even death. In this Discussion, you explore risk assessment tools for use with patients at your practicum site.

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To prepare:

• Review the Kanis article in this week’s Learning Resources.
• Consider a geriatric patient at your practicum site who is at risk for falls. Coordinate an opportunity to assess this patient with your Preceptor.

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Note: When referring to your patient, make sure to use a pseudonym or other false form of identification. This is to ensure the privacy and protection of the patient.

• In addition to the Fracture Risk Assessment Tool (FRAX), select one of the following tools to assess this patient for falls:
  • Tinetti Performance Oriented Mobility Assessment (POMA)
  • Systems Approach
  • Berg Balance Scale
  • Elderly Mobility Scale
  • Timed Unsupported Stead Stand (TUSS)
  • Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT)
  • Hendrich II Fall Risk Model
• Consider why you selected the assessment tool for this particular patient.
• Assess the patient using the tool you selected under Preceptor guidance. Reflect on the assessment, including any issues with the patient and/or the effectiveness of the tool.
• Think about strategies and interventions to reduce the risk of falls for frail elders.

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By Day 3

Post a case study description of a geriatric patient from your practicum site who is at risk for falls. Describe this patient’s FRAX assessment. Then, describe the other assessment tool you used in the fall-risk assessment and explain why you selected the tool for this particular patient. Explain the patient assessment, including any issues with the patient and/or the effectiveness of the tool. Finally, explain strategies to reduce the risk of falls for your patient.

MODEL ANSWER

Fall in older adults arises due to multifactorial etiology like acute and chronic medication, illness, and idiopathic phenomena or as a prodrome to some other diseases (Gangavati et al, 2011).

            In the last visit to a geriatric center, Mr. Kirkland aged 78 years visited the center for his annual physical examination. The patient reports he is faring well apart from osteoarthritis complications, with Tylenol being the only medication for arthritis pain. However, the patient is noted to be using a straight walking stick in his right hand. Mr. Kirkland explained that the use of walking stick is due to the increased pain for the past eight months in his right hip.

Use of FRAX

            FRAX refers to a computerized- based algorithm invented by World Health Organization, used to calculate the probability of fracture cases in elderly men and | PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW AT writtask.com | indicates the chance of fractures i.e. wrist fracture, humerus, hip or clinical spine in a span of 10 years. Factors considered include age, body mass index, sex and dichotomized factors such as tobacco smoking, parental history of hip fracture, alcohol consumption among | PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW AT writtask.com | above case of Mr. Kirkland, the FRAX result based on the his details i.e. Age (78 yrs.), Sex (male), Weight (64 kg), height (220 cm), history of parent fractured hip and history of arthritis, is Hip fracture at 25% and Major osteoporotic 26%. This assessment means that this patient has a probability of 25% of developing Hip Fracture.

The Hendrich II Fall Risk Model             The Hendrich II fall risk model is used in acute care because it is fast to administer and incorporates gender, mental, dizziness, medication history or emotional status of a patient in determining the risk of falling (Hendrich, 2016). The model is…