Risk factors for falls and injuries in a long-term care facility in Ontario

OBJECTIVE: To identify risk factors for falls and injuries among seniors living in a long-term care facility.

METHOD: Case-control study of 335 residents living at St. Joseph's Villa, Dundas, Ontario. Cases were defined as residents who fell between July 1, 1996 and June 30, 1997; controls were those who did not fall. To identify risk factors for injury, cases were defined as those with completed incident injury forms and controls as those without.

RESULTS: The most important risk factors for falls included: having fallen in the past three months; residing in a secured unit; living in the facility for two or more years; having the potential to cause injury to others; and having an illness, disease or behaviour that may cause a fall. The most important risk factor for injury among those who fell was altered mental state.

CONCLUSION: The risk factors identified may be helpful to those planning falls prevention initiatives within long-term care settings.