Article

Falls are a serious public health concern among older adults in the United
States. Although many fall prevention recommendations exist, such as those
published by the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) and the British Geriatrics
Society (BGS) in 2010, the specific role of occupational therapy in these efforts
is unclear. This article presents a scoping review of current published research
documenting the role of occupational therapy in fall prevention interventions
among community-dwelling older adults, structured by the AGS and BGS guidelines.
We identified evidence for occupational therapy practitioner involvement in fall
prevention in environmental modifications, exercise, and multifactorial and
multicomponent interventions. Although research documenting the efficacy of
occupational therapy interventions is identified as part of the Occupational
Therapy Practice Framework: Domain and Process (2nd ed.; American Occupational
Therapy Association, 2008), we identified little or no such research examining
interventions to modify behaviors (e.g., fear of falling), manage postural
hypotension, recommend appropriate footwear, and manage medications. Although
occupational therapy is represented in the fall prevention research, the evidence
for the profession's role in many areas is still lacking.
CI - Copyright (c) 2012 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

Langue : ANGLAIS