Attitudes of older people with mild dementia and mild cognitive impairment and their relatives about falls risk and prevention: A qualitative study.

<h4>Objective</h4>To explore the perceptions of older people with mild dementia and mild cognitive impairment, and their family carers, about falling, falls risk and the acceptability of falls prevention interventions.<h4>Design</h4>Qualitative study involving thematic analys...

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Main Authors: Tamsin Peach, Kristian Pollock, Veronika van der Wardt, Roshan das Nair, Pip Logan, Rowan H Harwood
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2017-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0177530&type=printable
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author Tamsin Peach
Kristian Pollock
Veronika van der Wardt
Roshan das Nair
Pip Logan
Rowan H Harwood
author_facet Tamsin Peach
Kristian Pollock
Veronika van der Wardt
Roshan das Nair
Pip Logan
Rowan H Harwood
author_sort Tamsin Peach
collection DOAJ
description <h4>Objective</h4>To explore the perceptions of older people with mild dementia and mild cognitive impairment, and their family carers, about falling, falls risk and the acceptability of falls prevention interventions.<h4>Design</h4>Qualitative study involving thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with patient and relative dyads.<h4>Participants and setting</h4>20 patient/ relative dyads recruited from Memory Assessment Services and Falls Prevention Services in the United Kingdom.<h4>Results</h4>The findings are presented under four key themes: attitudes to falls, attitudes to falls prevention interventions, barriers and facilitators, and the role of relatives. Participants' attitudes to falls interventions were varied and sometimes conflicting. Some worried about falls, but many resisted identifying themselves as potential 'fallers', even despite having fallen, and rejected the idea of needing the help that structured interventions signify. Participants preferred to focus on coping in the present rather than anticipating, and preparing for, an uncertain future. Falls prevention interventions were acknowledged to be valuable in principle and if required in the future but often felt to be not necessary or appropriate at present.<h4>Conclusions</h4>This study of how persons with cognitive impairment, and their relatives, view falls risk and prevention mirror findings relating to the wider population of older persons without dementia. Participants did not generally see falls prevention interventions as currently relevant to themselves. The challenge for clinicians is how to present interventions with understanding and respect for the older person's identity. They must identify and address goals that patients and relatives value. Simplistic or paternalistic approaches will likely fail. Individualised interventions which focus on maintaining independence and preserving quality of life are more likely to be acceptable by supporting a positive self-image for patients and their relatives.
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spelling doaj-art-89d1a24355da4ae1ae1f29f2b6c41fc52025-08-20T02:31:59ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032017-01-01125e017753010.1371/journal.pone.0177530Attitudes of older people with mild dementia and mild cognitive impairment and their relatives about falls risk and prevention: A qualitative study.Tamsin PeachKristian PollockVeronika van der WardtRoshan das NairPip LoganRowan H Harwood<h4>Objective</h4>To explore the perceptions of older people with mild dementia and mild cognitive impairment, and their family carers, about falling, falls risk and the acceptability of falls prevention interventions.<h4>Design</h4>Qualitative study involving thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with patient and relative dyads.<h4>Participants and setting</h4>20 patient/ relative dyads recruited from Memory Assessment Services and Falls Prevention Services in the United Kingdom.<h4>Results</h4>The findings are presented under four key themes: attitudes to falls, attitudes to falls prevention interventions, barriers and facilitators, and the role of relatives. Participants' attitudes to falls interventions were varied and sometimes conflicting. Some worried about falls, but many resisted identifying themselves as potential 'fallers', even despite having fallen, and rejected the idea of needing the help that structured interventions signify. Participants preferred to focus on coping in the present rather than anticipating, and preparing for, an uncertain future. Falls prevention interventions were acknowledged to be valuable in principle and if required in the future but often felt to be not necessary or appropriate at present.<h4>Conclusions</h4>This study of how persons with cognitive impairment, and their relatives, view falls risk and prevention mirror findings relating to the wider population of older persons without dementia. Participants did not generally see falls prevention interventions as currently relevant to themselves. The challenge for clinicians is how to present interventions with understanding and respect for the older person's identity. They must identify and address goals that patients and relatives value. Simplistic or paternalistic approaches will likely fail. Individualised interventions which focus on maintaining independence and preserving quality of life are more likely to be acceptable by supporting a positive self-image for patients and their relatives.https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0177530&type=printable
spellingShingle Tamsin Peach
Kristian Pollock
Veronika van der Wardt
Roshan das Nair
Pip Logan
Rowan H Harwood
Attitudes of older people with mild dementia and mild cognitive impairment and their relatives about falls risk and prevention: A qualitative study.
PLoS ONE
title Attitudes of older people with mild dementia and mild cognitive impairment and their relatives about falls risk and prevention: A qualitative study.
title_full Attitudes of older people with mild dementia and mild cognitive impairment and their relatives about falls risk and prevention: A qualitative study.
title_fullStr Attitudes of older people with mild dementia and mild cognitive impairment and their relatives about falls risk and prevention: A qualitative study.
title_full_unstemmed Attitudes of older people with mild dementia and mild cognitive impairment and their relatives about falls risk and prevention: A qualitative study.
title_short Attitudes of older people with mild dementia and mild cognitive impairment and their relatives about falls risk and prevention: A qualitative study.
title_sort attitudes of older people with mild dementia and mild cognitive impairment and their relatives about falls risk and prevention a qualitative study
url https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0177530&type=printable
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