“A Familiar but Unsafe Shelter” – Older Adults’ Experience of Fall-Related Injuries at Home: A Phenomenological Study

PURPOSE: To explore the essential nature and structural meaning of older adults' experiences of fall-related injuries at home. DESIGN: Descriptive phenomenological study. METHODS: The participants were eight community-dwelling older adults (≥65 years) in South Korea who had received treatment after experiencing a mild-to-severe fall-related injury in the past year. Data were collected through individual in-depth interviews. FINDINGS: Four constituent themes were identified: "living with an ever-present anticipation of falling," "a familiar but unsafe shelter," "living in the shadow of fear and anxiety of recurrence," and "making efforts to walk outdoors." CONCLUSIONS: The older adults experienced changes in perceptions of daily living as a whole following fall-related injuries at home and reevaluated their values and surroundings. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This study offers an in-depth understanding of how older adults perceive and respond to fall-related injuries at home. The findings offer valuable insights for healthcare providers to develop and implement effective fall and injury prevention interventions in home settings.