Falls Prevention
The National Center for Patient Safety (a branch of the US Department of Veterans’ Affairs) has developed a user-friendly Falls Toolkit for long-term care facilities. This includes guidelines for making both individual rooms and the entire building safer; as well as interventions for all patients, for high fall-risk patients, and to remedy specific fall-related problems. It also contains a sample falls policy, including the Morse and Hendrich fall risk scales; advice on how to implement the program and measure its success; and instructional materials and publications.
BEST PRACTICE GUIDES
Canada’s Department of Seniors has published a guide to preventing falls among community-dwelling seniors. Topics include exercise (particularly balance training), environmental modifications, education, the role of medications, specific interventions, and health-promotion strategies. The guide also discusses how to overcome barriers to participation and continued engagement in the recommended programs.
Queensland Health, Australia, offers a thorough list of best practice guidelines for falls prevention. It covers medication review, footwear, exercise and training programs, continence management, restraints and alternatives to restraints, hip protectors, nutrition management, and education for both patients and staff. An accompanying implementation workbook covers organizational aspects like assembling a team, setting priorities, implementing strategies, and measuring progress.
The Connecticut Collaboration for Fall Prevention has prepared a set of materials for clinicians. These include general guidelines for doctors and nurses, home care providers, and physical and occupational therapists, as well as a medication reduction strategy.
TheAmerican Geriatric Society (AGS) developed a set of
Falls Prevention Guidelines in 2001; it has since updated its literature review with a list of references up to 2005.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Premier Inc. offers a Falls Module containing assessment and calculation tools, sample guidelines and policies, and links to several toolkits.
Many Canadian organizations have implemented programs to help prevent falls. In 2005, the Department of Seniors published an Inventory of Fall Prevention Initiatives in Canada.
The BC Injury Research and Prevention Unit provides annotated links to a number of relevant publications and tools, including a 2003 literature review on best practices.
Queensland Health, Australia, has also compiled a literature review (up to 2003) on falls prevention.
The National Resource Center for Safe Aging (US) site includes a “Best Practices” page describing various programs, research initiatives, and toolkits to prevent falls and promote seniors’ safety.
The Falls and Balance Research group at the Prince of
Wales Medical Research Institute, Australia, provides references to its many publications.
INFORMATION FOR PATIENTS
Many sites offer suggestions for seniors who wish to reduce their risk of falling. Canada’s Department of Seniors provides fact sheets on how to prevent falls by having a safe home and lifestyle, reducing the risks, and improving your health.
Veterans’ Affairs Canada offers fall prevention tips and recommends three simple steps to assess and minimize risks in the home. The AGS Foundation for Health in Aging provides a set of fact sheets, while a Kingston-areaFalls Prevention Coalition has designed a simple tip sheet.
See also
Research on Falls Prevention.
