The Balance Ability of Fallers and Non-Fallers in Psychiatric Patients at a Long Term Care Unit

Abstract

With the increasing age, chronicity of illness, and medication side-effects, the psychiatric patients tend to have higher incidence of commodity and rate of accidents. Falls is the most devastating accidents and the ability to maintain balance is pivotal for the well-beings of this population. It appeared that different patterns of fall risk factors may be evident in psychiatric patients but with few scientific evidence. The existing tools for evaluation of risk of falls were not applicable on this population. This study intended to quantitatively measure the balance ability in psychiatric patients with and without fall history. The results could further contribute to falls prevention in long term care unit.