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Fear of Falling
Preventing Falls and Fear
By Sharon Roth Maguire, MS, APRN-BC, GNP, APNP
The last category for risk reduction is
medication awareness. As we age, we are at risk of
taking many medications for many ailments prescribed by
many providers; a situation known as polypharmacy. There
is much research and increasing awareness of the
potentially hazardous effects of polypharmacy. It is
well documented that the more medications an individual
takes, the greater their risk of side-effects, drug
interactions, and falls. Certain medications are
particularly dangerous. Anti-anxiety medications like
Valium, Xanax and Ativan; sleeping pills like Ambien,
Restoril, and even Tylenol PM have been implicated in
increasing fall risk. Discuss your loved one’s
medication regimen with the prescriber and focus on
reducing or eliminating those drugs that increase the
risk of falling. Should your loved one require extended
care somewhere other than home, be sure to ask what
their fall reduction program has to offer.
Fear of falling is a very real
phenomenon that is as important to reduce as the
physical consequences of a fall. Both can be life
changing and demand our attention to reduce the
likelihood of a fall occurring.
Sharon Roth Maguire MS, APRN-BC,
GNP, APNP is the Senior Director for Healthcare and
Resident Services at Alterra Health Care Corporation and
a Clinical Assistant Professor (Adjunct) at Marquette
University College of Nursing in Milwaukee, WI.
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