A retrospective study of mobility and fall factors in patients admitted to a palliative care unit

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine trends in the highest level of mobility of patients admitted to a palliative care unit at the time of a fall and the motives for the behavior leading to the fall in order to consider the balance between patient safety and patient dignity. The subjects were 392 patients admitted to a palliative care unit. The mobility of the non-fall group and the fall group was evaluated with the Johns Hopkins Highest Level of Mobility Scale （JH-HLM）. The highest level of mobility at the time of the fall in the fall group was the level at which the patient could transfer to a chair. Defecation was the most common behavior leading to falls. By providing opportunities for discussion between medical care providers and patients with a view to eventually narrow the range of activities and decline in ADL, it is possible to support patients’ autonomous medical treatment life.