Browsing by Author "Alves, Silvia"
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- Análise Interobservadores das práticas e comportamentos de segurança adotados pelos idosos institucionalizados para prevenir quedasPublication . Baixinho, Cristina; Dixe, Maria dos Anjos; Madeira, Carla; Alves, Silvia; Henriques, Maria AdrianaObjetivo: determinar as propriedades psicométricas da dimensão das práticas e dos comportamentos de segurança da Escala de Práticas e Comportamentos dos Idosos Institucionalizados para Prevenir Quedas numa amostra de idosos com declínio cognitivo
- Falls and Preventive Practices among Institutionalized Older PeoplePublication . Baixinho, Cristina Lavareda; Madeira, Carla; Alves, Silvia; Henriques, Maria Adriana; Dixe, Maria dos AnjosThe present study about falls among the older adult population essentially explores biophysiological factors. In light of the complexity of the factors that cause these accidents, it is important to identify the safety and self-care practices of institutionalized older adults and their relationship with falls in order to introduce prevention measures and personalized cognitive–behavioral strategies. The objective of this study was to: (a) determine the frequency of falls and their recurrence among institutionalized older adults, and (b) to associate the occurrence of falls among institutionalized adults with or without cognitive impairment to communication and safety practices. This was a quantitative, correlational, and longitudinal study with 204 institutionalized older adults living in two long-term care facilities in Portugal. The Scale of Practices and Behaviors for Institutionalized Elderly to Prevent Falls was administered to the sample. The prevalence of falls at a 12-month follow-up was 41.6%, of which 38.3% were recurring episodes. Older adults with cognitive decline showed lower mean scores for safety practices. Further research with larger samples should explore the relationships between communication and safety practices and falls, their recurrence, and fear of new falls.
- Gait Ability and Muscle Strength in Institutionalized Older Persons with and without Cognitive Decline and Association with FallsPublication . Dixe, Maria dos Anjos; Madeira, Carla; Alves, Silvia; Henriques, Maria Adriana; Baixinho, Cristina LavaredaFalls are a complex problem, given their multifactorial nature, the comorbidities involved, and due to the dependency of older persons living in nursing homes. Risk, fear of falling, falls themselves, and their recurrence are the main factors behind fragility fractures, lack of independence, and increases in pain prevalence, and other comorbidities in older populations. The objectives of the present quantitative and longitudinal study were: (a) to characterize the cognitive state and fall frequency of older persons living in nursing homes; (b) to analyze the relationship between cognitive status and some fall risk factors; and (c) to associate cognitive decline, gait ability, and muscle strength of the examined institutionalized older persons with fall occurrence and recurrence over 12 months. The participants were 204 older persons who lived in Portuguese nursing homes, and data were collected from January 2019 to February 2020 by consulting medical records and applying the following instruments: the Mini-Mental State Examination, Timed Up and Go Test, and Medical Research Council Manual Muscle Testing Scale. Fall prevalence, assessed in two periods, 12 months apart, was similar in both samples (with and without cognitive decline) and close to 42%, and the annual recurrence rate was 38.3%. Older persons with no cognitive decline showed an association between gait speed and occurrence of first fall and recurrent fall (p < 0.05). Muscle strength and use of gait aid devices were not related to falls and their recurrence, regardless of mental state.