Falls Prevention Research
Falls are very common in the elderly and a leading cause of morbidity and mortality.
Screening and assessment algorithms and comprehensive falls prevention programs that address identified risks have been clearly demonstrated.
Nevertheless, widespread adoption of effective falls prevention measures has not taken place, and too few eligible patients receive recommended care in this critical domain. Successful strategies are needed for disseminating falls prevention programs to the broad community of patients at high risk.
Basing prevention efforts in physicians’ offices is insufficient, as many physicians are unaware of the potential benefits of falls prevention interventions or have the resources to offer them to their patients.
Another barrier to widespread dissemination is the fact that assessment of the patient’s living environment, where approximately 50-60% of falls among older adults occur, is difficult to arrange from most doctors’ offices. Environmental assessment and modification is a key component for fall prevention. It was included in the recently updated joint guidelines by the American and British Geriatrics Societies for falls prevention. We hope, with our work, to show that it is possible to expand the reach of falls prevention efforts by basing such initiatives in the settings in which many elderly patients live.
[Fall prevention research poster]
[Participate in Falls-Prevention clinical trials]
[Portal of Geriatric Online Education — Elderly Faller OSCE station]