Date Approved

1997

Graduate Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Physical Therapy (M.S.)

Degree Program

Physical Therapy

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to discover the discrepancies in perspectives regarding environmental hazards in the home between the well-elderly and health care professionals.

Interviews, discussion groups, and review of a videotape were used to gather information. The interviews and videotapes were used to gain the health care professional’s perspectives and the discussion groups were used to gather the elderly’s perspectives.

This qualitative study found both similarities and discrepancies between the well-elderly and physicians. The major discrepancies were: 1) that the elderly and health care professionals are not entirely aware of environmental factors contributed to falls, 2) the physicians state that it is their role to do education of fall prevention and the physicians freely admit that they are not doing it, 3) health care professionals are not consistently addressing fall prevention with the elderly, and 4) the elderly have a fear of falling that is not recognized by the physicians.

Comments

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