EVALUATION OF FUNCTIONALITY AND PREVALENCE OF FALLS IN OLDER ADULTS DURING SOCIAL ISOLATION

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.1594562414064

• Palavras-chave: Older adults. Fragility. Functionality. Falls.

• Keywords: Older adults. Fragility. Functionality. Falls.

• Abstract:

  Falls in older adults are an important factor in the loss of independence and quality of life of the older population and are related to a high rate of disability and mortality. The present study aimed to evaluate the functionality and prevalence of falls in older adults during social isolation. We used a convenience sample and due to the context of the coronavirus pandemic, this study was developed through WhatsApp social media, which allows for 250 members per group. Up to 25% of respondents are considered positive in online surveys. The total survey sample had 82 respondents, corresponding to a response rate of 32.8%, considered excellent for digital research. Elderly people were invited to participate in a WhatsApp group whose main purpose is to disseminate messages of interest to this population. The Katz Scale (1963) and a questionnaire to evaluate the health of older adults and falls were used as a research instrument, consisting of 2 parts: socio-demographic data and questions that evaluated falls in older people. The questionnaire was based on studies by Radaelli et al. (2015), and Smith et al. (2017). All data obtained were entered and tabulated in the Excel software and presented using absolute and relative frequency distribution tables. The largest participation was women 75.61%, age group 70 to 79 years 78.05%, only 10.98% were not literate and 32.93% had up to 4 years of study. According to income, the majority were retired (65.85%), 56.10% were married, 82.93% took some medication, and 16.18% took more than 7 medications. Regarding hypertension and diabetes, 62.20% and 29.27% of participants said yes. Difficulties in seeing and hearing were reported by 47.56% and 26.83%. Limitation in walking or climbing stairs was reported by 37.80% of participants, and regarding falls, 57.32% suffered falls and 40.24% had suffered a fracture. 46.34% of these participants practice physical activity. There was no significant increase in the incidence of falls among older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic, even though they have been spending more time at home. This reflects a firm support network and closer and more intense care for the elderly during this period.