Falls don’t ‘just happen’ and become more common and consequential as we age.
Falls are Australia’s number one cause of injury hospitalisation and injury related death representing 43% of injury hospitalisation and 42% of injury deaths1.
In Australia, 30% of adults aged 65 and over will experience at least one fall a year. This age group were more likely to be hospitalised or die from a fall compared with other life-stages. This data is informed by our older Australians that present to hospital with an injurious fall.
Unfortunately, the other ‘falls, slips and trips’ that happen at home are not always reported due to
- Fear of reporting
- Fear of losing independence
- Fear of institutional care
- Lack of confidence
Most hospitalised falls occur in the home and it’s up to the individual – their family and supports to assist. The good news is fall CAN be PREVENTED.
Empower Multidisciplinary Team can help with
- Improving confidence
- Participation in balance and mobility exercises
- Falls prevention assessment and interventions
- Gait, balance and functional training
- Strength and Balance Exercise
- Multifactorial interventions
- Home safety assessment & modifications
- Foot health
- Medication reviews
- Continence
- Dizziness and vertigo
Physiotherapists help with – Keeping Active, Strong and Independent2
- Aerobic Physical Activity
- Muscle Strengthening
- Functional balance and strength training
- Replacing sedentary time with more physical activity
OTs help with – Living safely and independently at home and in the community
- Comprehensive clinical assessment
- Hazard assessment
- Hazard removal
- Adaptive equipment
- Task modification
- Education
- Shared decision making
- Awareness raising
How we can help?
The FROP (Falls Risk for Older People) is a useful resource flow chart to guide what we can do to prevent falls.
Get in touch if you think you or the person you care for would benefit from a Falls assessment or assistance.
RESOURCES
- Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW)- Falls in older Australians aged 65 and over 2019-2020. Link: https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/injury/falls
- World Health Organisation WHO: Guidelines on Physical Activity and sedentary behaviour (2020). EXECUTIVE SUMMARY – WHO Guidelines on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour – NCBI Bookshelf (nih.gov)
- NSW Ministry of Health – CEC website (Clinical Excellence Commission) https://www.cec.health.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/286700/CEC-Fall-Prevention-Flow-Chart-for-Community-Care-July-2015.pdf
- Falls Prevention Resources: NSW Government, Clinical Excellence Commission Fall prevention – Clinical Excellence Commission (nsw.gov.au)
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