Managing risk and exerting control: determining follow through with falls prevention

Purpose/Method: This study used in-depth interviews to explore the perspectives of nine older women who had not followed through with environmental modification recommendations to reduce their risk of falls in the home. Results: It was found that the core concept of 'exerting control' provided an understanding of their experience following an occupational therapy home visit. Exerting control was a behavioural, cognitive and affective process whereby the women made decisions about whether or not to follow through with environmental modification recommendations based on their knowledge of environmental risks, perceptions of degree of risk, perceived ability to mediate these risks through behaviour and the degree of freedom she had in decision making. Exerting control meant that the women made daily choices about their home environment which increased or decreased the risk of falls with identified home hazards. Conclusion: The findings suggest that, for some women, health professionals need to understand and work with the phenomenon of exerting control, in order to work with clients to reduce environmental hazards.