The Neighborhood Environment: Perceived Fall Risk, Resources, and Strategies for Fall Prevention.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the experience of older adults in their neighborhood in relation to perceived fall risk, fear of falling (FOF), and resources/strategies for fall prevention.


METHODS
Fourteen older adults, 65 years of age and older from 3 urban senior centers, participated in this qualitative study. The semistructured interview guidelines and background questionnaire were developed by the researchers based on the literature and an existing measure of walkability. Both tools were refined based on pilot interviews with seniors. Collaizzi's phenomenological method was used for data analysis.


RESULTS
Five themes emerged from the data: (a) The built environment contributes to perceived fall risk and FOF, (b) personal strategies used to adapt to perceived neighborhood fall risks-behavioral approaches, (c) resources for physical activity and safety, (d) barriers to physical activity and exercise, and (e) neighborhood features as a motivator.


CONCLUSIONS
Urban-dwelling seniors perceive that neighborhood features contribute to or mitigate fall risk and FOF. Behavioral strategies are used by seniors to prevent outdoor falls. The findings can help clinicians develop targeted fall prevention interventions for well elders and help urban planners to design and retrofit urban environments to reduce fall risk.
Department of Occupational Therapy, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development and tlc223@nyu.edu.
Tracy
T
Chippendale
Department of Nursing, College of Nursing, New York University.
Marie
M
Boltz
D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004779:Environment Design; D005239:Fear / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010465:Perception; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012307:Risk Factors; D012931:Social Environment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016138:Walking
Built environment; Fall prevention; Fear of falling; Older adults; Perceptions of fall risk; Social environment