INTRINSIC PREDICTIVE FACTORS OF FALLS IN INSTITUTIONALIZED ELDERLY PEOPLE: INTEGRATIVE REVIEW

Abstract

The objective of the study was to identify the intrinsic predictors of falls in elderly people living in long-term care institutions. This is an integrative review of the literature, prepared from the databases: MEDLINE, LILACS, BDENF and IBECS, in the month of August 2023. The studies were selected using the flow diagram Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) and presented in a table. 16 articles were selected, in which the main triggering factors for the risk of falls in institutionalized elderly people can be identified. Among the findings, gait assessment and balance were highlighted as the biggest risk triggers for falls. The results of this integrative literature review led to the conclusion that falls are the most recurrent incident with diverse risk factors, which can directly impact the quality of life of elderly people and their families. It is also evident that to design effective preventive measures, it is necessary to determine the circumstances associated with falls and promote comprehensive and multidimensional care, considering the different contexts of the elderly person's life.