Influence of healthcare professionals' actions on the adaptation of elderly individuals at home following hospitalization due to falls: integrative review

Abstract

Objective To identify how healthcare professionals' actions for fall prevention in elderly individuals in both the hospital and home settings influence adaptation and continuity of home-based care. Method An integrative review conducted with a search in the Virtual Health Library (VHL), the Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), the United States National Library of Medicine (PubMed), EBSCO, SCOPUS, and Web of Science. The search used the following Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms: "Aged," "Accidental Falls," "Patient Discharge," "Discharge, Patient," "Discharges, Patient," "Patient Discharges," "Discharge Planning," "Discharge Plannings," "Planning, Discharge," and "Plannings, Discharge." Original articles from the past five years were selected, with no language restrictions, and that addressed the research question. Article search and selection were conducted independently and blind by two reviewers between November and December 2022. Results The final sample included eight studies. Six were conducted in Australia, seven were in the English language, and the year 2019 had the highest number of publications. Fall prevention actions were primarily implemented by physiotherapists and occupational therapists through health education and digital videos for guidance related to home modifications. These actions had a positive impact on the motivation, engagement, and awareness of the elderly population and their caregivers. Conclusion The actions of healthcare professionals facilitated greater engagement for the continuity of care and the control of fall risks.