Falls in older adult psychiatric patients: equipping nurses with knowledge to make a difference

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  Falls and injuries sustained as a consequence are a major source of increased mortality, morbidity and death in older adults.
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  Osteoporotic fractures, particularly at the hip, are of particular concern.
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  Older adults with serious mental illness are at increased risk of falls and subsequent fracture because of a complex multitude of factors.
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  Nurses have a central role in monitoring patient falls risk in ward settings and can work with the multidisciplinary team to reduce this risk.

Falls are the most common cause of accidental death among older adults and are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. A particularly serious sequela of falls is osteoporotic fractures. Older adults with mental illness are at increased risk of both falls and subsequent fractures, because of a range of complex risk factors. Many falls are preventable and an awareness of the risk factors for falls among nurses will empower them to promptly refer a patient at risk to the multidisciplinary team. A multidisciplinary approach is required to be successful in any efforts to reduce an individual’s risk of falls and nurses have a central role in achieving this. This article reviews the relevant literature on the causes and consequences of falls in older adults with mental illness in order to enable nurses to reduce falls and subsequent fractures.