Reducing the risk of falls in homes for older adults in Thailand

Abstract

Falls can have a significant impact on the lives of elderly people in Thailand. This research focuses on the intrinsic and environmental factors related to these falls. The study surveyed elderly people living in rural areas (Chiang Mai and Khon Kaen) and urban areas (Rangsit, Bangkok and Songkhla). Although the intrinsic fall risk result shows no significant difference between elderly people in the rural and urban areas, those in the rural areas had slightly higher fall risk factors, including advanced age, defective walking ability and fall experiences. The findings regarding environmental conditions show that older adults in rural areas had a higher risk of falls than those in urban areas. The research methods included community selection, participants and housing selection, design and cost estimation and home modification. The study surveyed 203 elderly participants, and half of their houses were selected for renovation. Home modification was performed in 100 dwellings, including 99 bathrooms, 71 main entrances and corridors, 43 bedrooms, 29 stairways, and 22 kitchens. A comparison of the before and after renovation fall risk scores suggests that the overall environmental risk decreased by 52 percent. Bathroom modifications resulted in the greatest decrease in fall risk (81%), followed by modifications of illumination (58%), bedrooms (47%), and main entrances and corridors (42%). The bathroom was a key point of risk reduction because it was the most hazardous area, and its modification resulted in the most notable risk reduction.