Injuries among older people
The population is ageing rapidly, and unintentional injuries involving older people are a public health and safety issue. Legislation and national programmes provide a strong basis for injury prevention among older people. Municipal welfare reports and plans should be used more to promote preventive action and to improve well-being, health and functional capacity.
Injuries among older people typically involve falls, road traffic accidents, poisonings and drowning. Safely at All Ages: Programme for the Prevention of Home and Leisure Injuries 2021–2030 also highlights fire safety as important in protecting older people from injuries, as well as the role of family and friends as safety promoters.
The programme sets targets for injury prevention and related measures. Many older people receive 24-hour care or different forms of home care, which is why it is important to take the perspective of these actors into account when promoting safety.
Contents of this page:
- Accidental falls
- Poisonings
- Road traffic accidents
- Drowning
- Fire safety
- Family and friends as safety promoters
- Safety in 24-hour care and home care
Accidental falls
Accidental falls from the same level or from height are the most common cause of injuries for older people, and the most common accident location is the home. Falling can cause various types of injuries, such as hip fractures, and older people suffer more severe consequences from falls than younger age groups. In Finland, there are around 1,000 deaths from falling every year.
Preventive action is key to preventing falls. Each older person’s risk of falling is assessed systematically and prevention measures are targeted at the individual level. The best results can be achieved through multi-professional activities which also involve cooperation with the client and those close to them.
Poisonings
Older people are vulnerable to poisonings because age-related changes in the body mean that a normal adult dose of a medicine may cause them harm. Problems related to taking medicines are also becoming more common among older people, and taking the right medicines at the right time and with the right dosage may be challenging, especially for people with memory disorders.
In addition, older people often use a large number of medicines that can have harmful effects when combined with alcohol use. Out of all intoxicants, ethanol is the most common cause of poisonings among older people.
Road traffic accidents
Road safety for older people is improved by developing safe driving, cycling and walking. Being able to drive has a significant impact on an older person’s quality-of-life, access to health services and maintenance of social ties. Accessible traffic routes, on the other hand, can support the independent mobility of older persons.
Special attention should be paid to the importance of age-related changes, illnesses and medication for road safety. Close family play an important role in promoting road safety among older people. In addition, information on the significance of physical functional capacity for road safety should be provided to social welfare and health care personnel.
Drowning
Drowning among people over the age of 65 has increased in recent years. In international comparisons the number of older people drowning in Finland is high.
Age-related changes, diseases and medication make water environments less safe for older people. Exercising to maintain mobility, strength and balance helps ensure safety in water environments. In addition, attention should be paid to the use of safety equipment.
Fire safety
Good functional capacity helps ensure home safety among older people. For example, it is good if the older person is able to leave the apartment quickly enough in the event of a fire. Fire safety can be improved through safety devices such as hob guards and fire alarms.
Promoting fire safety and preventing burns and deaths involves the actions of the older person themselves, the actions of those close to them, and also cooperation with a variety of experts. Special attention should be paid, for example, to people with memory disorders.
Family and friends as safety promoters
The safety skills of family and friends as well as volunteers play a key role in enabling older people to continue living safely at home, and they also help ensure the safety of family members that use housing services or are in 24-hour care.
Family and friends need coaching, training and guidance in how to promote safety. One of the conditions for granting family care support to a family caregiver is that the safety of the home environment can reduce the injury risk for both the family caregiver and the person in their care.
Safety in 24-hour care and home care
Social welfare and health care professionals handle safety matters in 24-hour care and home care. Safety can be improved through
- safety management
- maintaining a safety culture
- taking care of one's own well-being
- taking the client's perspective into account
- taking care of safety matters in advance
- preventing pressure injuries and falls
- taking care of hygiene
- preventing fires
- identifying environmental risks
- reporting hazardous situations
- smooth communication and information flow.
In addition, it is important that safety is handled in a multi-professional manner and in cooperation with the client and those close to them.
References
Korpilahti et al. (ed.) Safely at All Ages: Programme for the Prevention of Home and Leisure Injuries 2021–2030 and cost report. Publications of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health 2020:30.
Saarsalmi O. & Koivula R. Perspectives on the safety of social welfare services. THL 2017. (Abstract in English).
