11.1.2: Factors Contributing to Injuries
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Factors Contributing to Injuries among Older Adults
As people age, they may experience physical, sensory, and cognitive changes that make them more likely to suffer an injury.Adults over the age of 65 are the most likely age group to fall (WHO, 2012).Older adults tend to have more physical diseases and take more medications. The more medications a person takes, the more they are at risk for potential medication interactions and side effects. Muscle weakness, injury, disability, coordination, or balance problems also put older adults at risk for falls. Home Health Aides/Personal Care Aides should teach patients to properly use ambulatory aids such as walkers and canes. Encourage good non-skid footwear while ambulating.
Older adults who experience confusion, as a result of dementia or illness, may not be completely aware of their surroundings and may not be as cautious while moving about as they normally would. Sensory impairments, such as vision problems and hearing loss, also put older adults at risk for falls as they may not adequately see or hear what is going on in their surroundings.As we age, we also have a reduction in our ability to taste and smell. This makes us more likely to not smell smoke if there is a fire, or to eat food that is spoiled without being aware.
Factors Contributing to Injuries Involving Young Children
Children are another high risk group for falls. Their natural curiosity, and the developmental tasks they are experiencing, in which independence and risk-taking behaviors come about, makes them prone to accidents involving falls. Ensure that stairways are blocked off from small children with gates. Do not allow children to climb stairs, ladders, or other surfaces unsupervised. Teach them to tie their shoelaces and ensure they wear good non-skid shoes.
Children are also especially prone to choking as they like to put items into their mouth as they explore the world. Ensure that toys are age appropriate and that very young children are not allowed to play with toys and games with very small pieces. Keep medications and cleaning solutions locked and out of reach. Use child-proof covers for outlets, child-proof locks for cabinets which hold cleaning supplies, and child-proof caps on medications.
Children are developing their gross motor skills and may not have very good balance and coordination. Teach them to use rails when walking on stairs. Teach children to hold your hand and to look both ways when crossing a street. Supervise children while they are playing outdoors and in activities such as bike riding, skating, or skateboarding. Never allow young children to bathe or swim unsupervised in order to prevent possible drowning.
With infants, keep in mind that they must always be supervised. Never leave a baby unattended. Never walk away from a baby while giving a bath as they do not have the muscle development to keep their head out of water and could potentially drown. Feed babies with their heads higher than their bodies and burp them in between feedings to prevent choking. Do not keep stuffed animals and excessive bedding in a baby’s crib. Keep babies on their backs while sleeping to prevent possible suffocation.
As children tend to lack a sense of fear and have a strong desire to explore their world, Home Health Aides/Personal Care Aides must always be watching for potential hazards in their environment. Keep the environment clutter free and teach children to pick up their toys and shoes.
Where Household Injuries Commonly Occur
Two areas in the home, the kitchen and the bathroom, are the places where most household injuries occur (Leahy, Fuzy & Grafe, 2013). People tend to spend a lot of time in both of these areas in the home. They are also places where many dangers lie.
In the kitchen, using appliances improperly or near water could result in electrical injury. Other hazards in the kitchen include walking on a wet or greasy floor, improperly using knives, fire hazards while using the stove, and ingesting spoiled food or dangerous chemicals.
In the bathroom, potential hazards involve slipping on a wet floor or in the bathtub, using appliances such as hair dryers near water, unsafe use of razors or scissors, and the ingestion of medications and other potentially dangerous substances.
Home Health Aides/Personal Care Aides should take special precautions in the kitchen and bathroom to ensure that floors are dry, non-skid rugs and bath mats are utilized, handrails and grab bars are available, and sharp objects are put away when not in use. Cleaning solutions, chemicals, and medications should be kept in locked cabinets and out of reach of children and confused patients.
1. Which of the following is the most common place for an injury to occur in the home?
a). Bathroom
b). Living room
c). Bedroom
d). Laundry room
2. Which of the following is a way to prevent an injury in the kitchen?
a). Leave to go to the bathroom while you are cooking on the stove.
b). Keep knives on the counter with the blades pointing out.
c). Turn pot handles inward.
d). Wait to mop up spills on the floor until you are done cooking.
- Answer
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1. A
2. C
FEEDBACK:
1. The kitchen and bathroom are two of the most common places for an injury to occur in the home. There are many hazards in both rooms for which the HHA/PCA should be observant to protect their patient from.
2. Turning pot handles inward helps to prevent burn injuries in the kitchen. If a pot handle is facing outward, there is a higher risk that someone could knock into it or burn their hands on the handle. This is especially true when there are children and confused adults within the home. Never leave food unattended while cooking on the stove, always keep knife blades pointing inward, and always immediately wipe up spills to prevent accidents.