| Abstract: | The aim of this qualitative study was to uncover why older adults experience the fear of falling and discover the perceived consequences older adults fear. Seven participants between 61 and 88 (M = 75.4, SD = 9.1) years were interviewed. It was identified that participants developed the fear of falling after they had fallen or as they aged. Six themes related to the fear of falling were revealed, including Physical Injury, the Feeling Experienced when Falling, Becoming an Invalid or Burden, Losing Independence and Being Institutionalized, A Long Lie, and Being Confined to a Wheelchair or Unable to Walk. The results from this study indicated that older adults fear the consequences of falling. However, they fear not only physical injury as a result of the fall, but the injury's consequences that may precipitate the individual becoming more dependent on others and experiencing life altering events. |
