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Falls Prevention
Falls occur throughout life and it is only in situations where the fall results in an injury or life-altering fear of injury that it is a matter of concern.
As individuals age, the chance of being injured increases, but the risk is not equal for all individuals of the same age due to a range of intrinsic factors such as eyesight, balance, muscle strength, bone density and medications being taken by an individual. Social and socio-economic factors also contribute to individual falls risk [Source: Programs for Falls Prevention [Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing]]
Updated September 2011
Related HealthInsite Topics
HealthInsite Topic Page
Links to information about falls prevention in children.
42 Resources Found
| Title: | Older years |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | The Jean Hailes Foundation for Women's Health |
| Description: | Women can expect to lose around 1% of their bone mineral density each year in the years beyond their menopause. This means that you are likely to develop osteoporosis into old age. |
| Date: | Aug 2011 |
| Title: | Elderly women |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | The Jean Hailes Foundation for Women's Health |
| Description: | Osteoporosis is a normal part of ageing. In reality we would all develop osteoporosis if we lived long enough. Women in particular are at an increased risk of osteoporosis compared to men due to the effects of menopause and subsequent oestrogen deficiency. |
| Date: | Jul 2011 |
| Title: | Farm safety - falls |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Better Health Channel |
| Description: | Falls are a leading cause of significant injury and death for farm workers. Common hazards include animals, motorbikes or quad bikes (all terrain vehicles or ATVs), working at heights in silos or on tractors, harvesters, cherry pickers or windmills, uneven surfaces and uncovered wells. Older farmers are most at risk. Simple safety measures can reduce the danger. |
| Date: | May 2011 |
| Title: | Exercise for improving balance in older people |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | John Wiley and Sons, Ltd. for The Cochrane Collaboration |
| Description: | Balance is staying upright and steady when stationary, such as when standing or sitting, or during movement. The loss of ability to balance may be linked with a higher risk of falling, increased dependency, illness and sometimes early death. However, i... |
| Date: | Apr 2011 |
| Title: | Osteoporosis - prevention and treatment |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Better Health Channel |
| Description: | Osteoporosis occurs when bones lose minerals such as calcium more quickly than the body can replace them. They become less dense, lose strength and break more easily. Calcium, exercise and vitamin D can help to prevent osteoporosis. If you have osteoporosis, medical treatment and lifestyle changes can prevent further bone loss. |
| Date: | Feb 2011 |
| Title: | Interventions designed to prevent healthcare bed-related injuries in patients |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | John Wiley and Sons, Ltd. for The Cochrane Collaboration |
| Description: | Patients in hospitals, nursing care facilities and rehabilitation units sometimes fall out of bed. Associated injuries include skin lacerations, bone fractures, joint dislocations and brain haemorrhage, and these injuries may result in permanent disabi... |
| Date: | Dec 2010 |
| Title: | The incidence and cost of falls injury among older people in New South Wales 2006/07 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | NSW Department of Health |
| Description: | This study provides the most comprehensive population level estimate of the economic cost of falls among older people in NSW and is the first to attempt to disaggregate these costs between community and Residential Aged Care. The extremely high economic cost of falls in older people is demonstrated, highlighting the significant need for cost effective prevention of injury associated with falls in this population. |
| Date: | Sep 2010 |
| Title: | Homefront |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Department of Veterans' Affairs |
| Description: | Homefront: Information for veterans concerning Home Front and what it has to offer. |
| Date: | Jul 2010 |
| Title: | Hip protectors for preventing hip fractures in older people |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | John Wiley and Sons, Ltd. for The Cochrane Collaboration |
| Description: | Hip protectors consist of plastic shields or foam pads fitted in pockets within specially designed underwear. They are worn to reduce the impact of a sideways fall on the hip, and thus reduce the risk of a hip fracture. Studies, mainly from the early 19... |
| Date: | May 2010 |
| Title: | Aged care - helping people at home |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Better Health Channel |
| Description: | Older people who wish to live at home can access services from the Australian Commonwealth and State Governments. These include rails to help prevent falls, nursing services and personal alarms. |
| Date: | Mar 2010 |
| Title: | Falls prevention for older people |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Better Health Channel |
| Description: | Falls are a major cause of injury for older people and cause hip and wrist fractures, dislocations, head injuries and bruises. Falls can be prevented with simple safety measures in the home and outside. Managing medications, foot care and regular eye tests can also minimise the risk of falls. |
| Date: | Feb 2010 |
| Title: | Fall prevention |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | The Jean Hailes Foundation for Women's Health |
| Description: | Risk factors in the elderly that lead to an increase in falls such as poor vision, decreased joint position sense, poor balance and physical strength and increased frailty, where possible should be addressed and improved. |
| Date: | Jul 2009 |
| Title: | Balance training (proprioceptive training) for patients with rheumatoid arthritis |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | John Wiley and Sons, Ltd. for The Cochrane Collaboration |
| Description: | This summary of a Cochrane review presents what we know from research about the effect of balance training on rheumatoid arthritis. The review shows that in people with rheumatoid arthritis: We are unsure of the effects of balance training because no ... |
| Date: | Jun 2009 |
| Title: | Drowning and other injuries related to aquatic activities at ages 55 years and older in Australia |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Australian Institute of Health and Welfare |
| Description: | About 100 people aged 55 years or older died annually by drowning each year in Australia over the period 1997 to 2005, equating to 28% of all drowning deaths at all ages. Males are more likely to die by drowning than females in all age categories over 55 years. |
| Date: | May 2009 |
| Title: | Interventions for preventing falls in older people in nursing care facilities and hospitals |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | John Wiley and Sons, Ltd. for The Cochrane Collaboration |
| Description: | Falls by older people in nursing care facilities and hospitals are common events that may cause loss of independence, injuries, and sometimes death as a result of injury. Effective interventions are important as they will have significant health benefit... |
| Date: | Feb 2009 |
| Title: | Hospitalisations due to falls by older people, Australia 2005-06 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Australian Institute of Health and Welfare |
| Description: | The report focuses on hospitalised falls occurring in the financial year 2005-06 and examines trends in fall-related hospitalisations over the period 1999-2006. The number of fall events resulting in hospitalisation due to injury for older Australians remains high and the rate of fall-related injury incidents is particularly high for the oldest group within this population. |
| Date: | Feb 2009 |
| Title: | Prevent falls in public places |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Multicultural Health Communication Service |
| Description: | Tips for preventing falls outside the home. |
| Date: | Jan 2009 |
| Title: | Managing chronic conditions |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Multicultural Health Communication Service |
| Description: | Fact sheet explaining how managing chronic conditions can reduce the risk of injury and falls. |
| Date: | Jan 2009 |
| Title: | Stay on your feet - your home safety checklist |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | NSW Department of Health |
| Description: | A safer home can help you maintain an independent lifestyle. A few simple steps can make your home safer and help prevent falls. This checklist is a guide to those steps. The checklist is a series of questions that looks at safety in and around your home. If you answer 'no' to any of the questions, the checklist suggests things you can do to make your home safer. Most changes are easy and inexpensive. Take steps to prevent a fall - falls can be prevented! |
| Date: | Nov 2008 |
| Title: | Interventions for preventing falls in older people living in the community |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | John Wiley and Sons, Ltd. for The Cochrane Collaboration |
| Description: | As people get older, they may fall more often for a variety of reasons including problems with balance, poor vision, and dementia. Up to 30% may fall per year. Although one in five falls may require medical attention, less than one in 10 results in a f... |
| Date: | Oct 2008 |
