Incidence and Factors of Functional Decline After Emergency Department Discharge in Older Adults With Falls

The goal of this observational study is to learn about changes in activities of daily living (ADL) in older adults after being discharged from the emergency department (ED) following a fall. The main questions this study aims to answer are: How often do older adults experience a decline in their ability to perform daily activities after being discharged from the ED for a fall? What health or lifestyle factors (such as frailty, medications, physical activity, or fear of falling) are related to this decline? Participants will be 65 years or older, admitted to the ED for a simple fall, and discharged without hospitalization. At the time of their ED visit, participants will be asked questions about their health, medications, activity level, and daily functioning. They will then be contacted online or by phone at 7 days and 30 days after discharge to answer follow-up questions. This study will help identify how common functional decline is after falls in older adults discharged from the ED, and which factors may predict higher risk. These findings could help improve follow-up care and prevention strategies for older patients.