What is a potential risk for visually impaired older adults according to nursing education?

Visually impaired older adults face a heightened risk for falls and medication errors primarily due to the challenges that vision loss presents in daily life. Poor eyesight can significantly impair spatial awareness, balance, and depth perception, making it more difficult for individuals to navigate their environment safely. This increases the likelihood of falls, which can result in serious injuries, especially in older adults who may already have a decreased level of physical resilience.

Similarly, medication management relies heavily on the ability to read labels and instructions accurately—tasks that can become formidable challenges for those with visual impairments. The risk of administering the wrong dosage or taking the incorrect medication is considerably increased if an individual cannot see well enough to read their prescriptions or understand their medication regimen fully.

In summary, the combination of impaired vision with the physical and cognitive challenges of aging creates a significant risk for both falls and medication errors in visually impaired older adults.