Outdoor Fall Risks and Strategies Used for Prevention: An Exploratory Study of Rural-Dwelling Older Adults

Outdoor falls prevention research has focused primarily on suburban and urban settings. Further, hazards related to terrain have not been well studied. Therefore, to fill this gap, perceived outdoor fall risks, community resources to support falls prevention, and strategies used for safe community mobility in rural communities were explored through in-depth interviews with older adults from two rural counties. Themes that emerged from this qualitative study included: (a) physical and natural elements; (b) few proximate resources and available options underutilized; (c) instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) as a key source of physical activity; (d) risk recognized and strategies implemented; and (e) living with fall risk. Results suggest occupational therapy practice implications to support the safety of older adults in rural communities.