Stigma around falls According to a HCP, older people viewed falling as a stigma because they associated falls with residential or nursing home admissions. Older people feared that their families might send them to nursing homes.
“The older person is unlikely to report their falls because as soon as they tell their families that they’ve fallen, they put them in a nursing home.”
Reluctance to use assistive devices Some older people considered using assistive devices, such as walking frames, as a stigma, because they believe that using such aids is a sign of weakness and reflects a change in one’s self image.