Original title: Sustaining agency after a fall: navigating healthcare and adjusting everyday life – a qualitative interview study
The researchers interviewed older adults aged 75 and over, and relatives, after the older adults went to an emergency department for a fall and then went home. People described trying to meet immediate care needs while adjusting to longer-term changes in daily life. Finding follow-up care and rehabilitation could be difficult, and fear of another fall changed what people did. Relatives’ support and personal coping strategies helped many manage.
Imagine coming home after twisting your ankle and trying to get through the day. You may need help right away, but also have to change your routines because you worry about getting hurt again. In this paper, that daily juggling matches older adults’ efforts to recover after a fall, while relatives help them manage care and everyday changes.
Older adults sent home after an emergency visit may still need rehabilitation and support. Their accounts point to a practical gap: clearer guidance and coordinated follow-up could help people recover and manage daily life with more confidence.
The abstract reports interviews with 11 older adults and 6 relatives who attended an emergency department after a fall and were discharged without admission. It does not establish how common these experiences are among all older adults, whether particular follow-up services improve outcomes, or whether the findings apply to people admitted to hospital.
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Sustaining agency after a fall: navigating healthcare and adjusting everyday life – a qualitative interview study — Sara Bergström, Kristina Rosengren, Catarina Wallengren et al. — BMC Geriatrics — doi:10.1186/s12877-026-08418-2
Abstract licence: CC BY
Explanation generated by Synthesis from the abstract — it is not the original paper.