Table 3.

Representative Quotes From Interviewees Regarding Causes of Their Own Falls.

Theme	Quote
Lack of awareness/rushing	And, I got out with my cane and I was walking along very proudly then. And, my, I think my cane hit this patch of black ice. . . and I went down.
	And I was right at the step going down to the sunken living room, and we were talking. What possessed me to step back, I’ll never know. But I fell backwards.
	I was in a hurry and I was, you know, rushing, and I didn’t see the wire and I tripped and went down on my knee.
	And, when I was watching, it was at an intersection, and when I was watching the invitation, in, intersection, I managed, stepped in the hole and down I went.
Environmental hazards	And of course I backed up and the road slanted and I fell down, and I fell down on this hip.”
	“I have to admit that I fell once and I’m putting all the blame on the TV man because he was there doing some work. And instead of putting the wire under the carpet, he left it on top.
Physiologic decline	I wasn’t too steady on my feet because, you know, I was in—just starting in dialysis and I was pretty weak.