title: Older women's responses and decisions after a fall: The work of getting "back to normal".
abstract: In this descriptive qualitative research, we examined older women's responses and decisions after experiencing a fall. Falls were unexpected, sudden events that heightened these women's awareness of their physical, emotional, spiritual, and social independence. Interviewees reported assessing personal, physical, and emotional needs; feeling burdened by the extra work; trying to get back to normal; seeking and obtaining assistance and spiritual support; avoiding specific people, objects, and places; planning ahead; and putting the fall out of mind. Consideration of older women's post-fall responses and decisions should be incorporated into fall prevention and management programs, services, and clinical recommendations.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Health Promotion , Education, and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina , Columbia , South Carolina , USA.
authors.forename: Caroline D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Bergeron
authors.affiliation: a Department of Health Promotion , Education, and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina , Columbia , South Carolina , USA.|b Statewide Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina , Columbia , South Carolina , USA.
authors.forename: Daniela B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Friedman
authors.affiliation: c College of Nursing, University of South Carolina , Columbia , South Carolina , USA.|d Department of Women's and Gender Studies , College of Arts & Sciences, University of South Carolina , Columbia , South Carolina , USA.
authors.forename: DeAnne K Hilfinger
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Messias
authors.affiliation: a Department of Health Promotion , Education, and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina , Columbia , South Carolina , USA.|e Institute for Southern Studies, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina , Columbia , South Carolina , USA.
authors.forename: S Melinda
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Spencer
authors.affiliation: f School of Public Health, Brown University , Providence , Rhode Island , USA.
authors.forename: Susan C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls; D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003657:Decision Making; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D036301:Qualitative Research; D055500:Resilience, Psychological; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors