Risk of injury higher in older adults with dementia than in those without

Commentary on: Meuleners LB, Hobday MB. A population-based study examining injury in older adults with and without dementia. J Am Geriatr Soc 2017; 65: 520–525.

Implications for practice and research

Nurses should assess older adults for dementia and anticipate potential safety risks. Caregivers and older adults need education on interventions such as fall prevention, home safety measures and supervision of those with dementia.

Additional rigorous studies are needed to test fall and injury prevention interventions in dementia populations.

Context

People with Alzheimer’s disease often develop impairments in executive function, resulting in poor judgement and unsafe behaviours.1 These problems put them at risk of accidents and injuries, particularly in the home environment. Coupled with ageing changes and disease processes, the person with dementia may develop functional decline that can lead to accidents and injuries. A number of interventions have been studied to address these problems in people with dementia; many have small...

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