title: Older Adults, Falls, and Skin Integrity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To provide an overview of the assessment and management of risk factors for falls in older adults.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  This continuing education activity is intended for physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and nurses with an interest in skin and wound care.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  After participating in this educational activity, the participant should be better able to:1. Outline the components of an evidence-based falls assessment and identify risk factors for falls.2. Specify strategies to reduce falls in older adults, especially as related to maintaining skin integrity.
  Older adult patients may present to skin and wound care clinicians with skin injuries as a result of falls. In addition, chronic wounds associated with the patient's conditions may also increase his/her falls risk. Hence, appropriate assessment and management of the risk of falls in older adult patients are key elements of patient-centered care.
authors.affiliation: Catherine Cheung, MD, FRCPC • Geriatrician • Women's College Hospital • Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cheung
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017677:Age Distribution; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D022125:Lacerations / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000379:methods*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012867:Skin / Q000293:injuries*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology