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Updated: May 24, 2026
07:40
Validation of a Psychosocial Intervention on Body Image in Older People: An Experimental Design
Published on: May 31, 2021
Falls in old age: a threat to identity
Joanne Dollard1, Christopher Barton, Jonathan Newbury
1Discipline of General Practice, School of Population Health and Clinical Practice, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia. joanne.dollard@adelaide.edu.au
Journal of Clinical Nursing
|March 8, 2012
Summary
Older adults perceive falling negatively, viewing it as a threat to their identity. They avoid falls prevention programs by attributing falls to external factors, not personal vulnerability.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Public Health
- Psychology
Background:
- Approximately one-third of adults aged 65 and older experience falls annually.
- Many older adults do not engage in falls prevention programs, citing a lack of personal vulnerability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore older adults' perceptions of their own and others' fall risk.
- To understand why older adults may not consider falls relevant to themselves.
Main Methods:
- A qualitative study utilizing grounded theory principles.
- Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine community-dwelling older adults in metropolitan Adelaide, South Australia.
Main Results:
- Participants actively presented themselves as "not the type who fall," viewing falling negatively.
- Falls were attributed to external factors or momentary inattention, rather than personal susceptibility, to maintain an image of physical competence.
Conclusions:
- Falling is perceived as a threat to an older adult's identity, leading to the use of self-presentation strategies.
- Falls prevention messages may be ineffective if associated with a negative identity; alternative engagement strategies are needed for nurses.
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