311 Nursing Care of the Postmenopausal Woman, 3rd Edition
her eyeglasses as needed. Out-of-date prescription glasses can cause the wom- an to become unbalanced as she moves around her home (CDC, 2021b). A home health nurse can assess the woman’s house for fall risks and help the woman locate and eliminate areas of danger. The office nurse or home health nurse can meet with the woman and her family to discuss recommendations for preventing falls. It is important to consider the woman’s medications. Side effects from the medi- cations she is taking can include dizziness or sleepiness. Important medications to be aware of include sedatives, such as benzodiazepines and other sleeping pills; antidepressants; antipsychotics; anticho- linergics; blood pressure medications; and medications that lower blood sug- ar. Medications that are associated with diminishing cognitive function can also be associated with falls. Some of these are sedatives and anticholinergics. Med - ications that lower the blood sugar can cause an unsafe drop in the blood sugar, which can cause dizziness. Proton pump inhibitors, such as omeprazole, esome- prazole, lansoprazole, and pantoprazole, can also cause postural hypotension, diz- ziness, and sleepiness (CDC, 2021b). Fires and burns are another leading cause of injury and death among older women. The primary causes of fires in - volving older adults are cigarette smok- ing, open flames, and cooking and heat - ing mishaps. Scalding injuries related to cooking and attempting to consume bev- erages that are too hot are also common. Adults ages 65 and older are twice as likely to be killed or injured by a fire com - pared with the general population. This number increases to three times as likely by age 75 and four times as likely by age
85 (National Fire Protection Association [NFPA], 2022). As a woman ages, her senses of smell, touch, vision, and hearing may become less acute. These changes in sensory function can reduce reaction times and put an older woman at higher risk for inju- ry or death in a fire. If a woman is dealing with reduced ability to perform activities of daily living, she is at even greater risk of injury. In addition, medications that can cause drowsiness or dizziness can impair an older woman’s ability to escape in the event of a fire. Women who live in long- term care facilities are also at increased risk for injury or death in a fire. Up to 75% of patients in a long-term care fa- cility need assistance with activities, and as many as 63% are limited to wheelchair use (NFPA, 2022). The National Fire Protection Associa- tion encourages older adults to sleep in a room on the ground floor to make an emergency escape easier. Smoke alarms should be installed in every bedroom and outside of any sleeping areas. If the wom- an has a hearing deficit, she should make sure that her smoke alarm also has a bright flashing light. If she lives alone, she should conduct her own drills of what she should do if her smoke alarm goes off and include her family in her planning if they live close. She should make sure that she is able to open every door and window in her home. Locks should easily open, and windows should not be painted shut. She should have a telephone available, along with emergency numbers, so that she can easily call emergency personnel and fam- ily in case of an emergency (NFPA, 2022).
Powered by FlippingBook