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Falls Management Training
A fall is defined as a sudden, often unexplained change in position in which a person comes to rest unintentionally on the floor or lower surface.
It is no secret that falls rates are high in residential aged care facilities. Research shows that 1 in 2 residents (50%) experience falls within a 6 month period with 40% experiencing recurrent falls. This number climbs to more than 70% for people with a diagnosis of dementia.
Aged care residents are typically at a higher risk of falls due to a range of comorbidities including cognitive impairments, incontinence, musculoskeletal and sensory decline and polypharmacy, just to name a few.
Why should you implement Falls Management Training for staff?
Put simply, many falls are preventable. This is important to recognise as it allows us to work proactively to support residents. Driving reductions in falls rates requires a cultural shift, increased education and an all-staff approach. Often, it’s the simple “common-sense” strategies that can create the highest impact.
Falls are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in older adults
Despite our best efforts as an industry, falls rates in residential aged care remain alarmingly high.
Here are some key statistics around the consequences of falls in older adults:
Approximately 20–32% of older people who fall will experience a fall-related fracture
Falls account for 90% of all hip fractures
Falls account for 20% of all fatal injuries and are the most common cause of injury related deaths for people 65+
50% of people hospitalised due to a fall die within 1 year
Falls can also lead to a significant decline in an older persons quality of life:
50% of individuals who experience a fall report a loss of confidence and a “fear of falling”
Falls often lead to a significant decline in function and participation in activities of choice
People who experience falls often need more ‘care’ and place an increased demand on health services
Increased feelings of helplessness, social isolation and depression
What will staff learn during Falls Management Training?
✓ What constitutes a fall
✓ Key statistics around falls in older adults and in the residential aged care/community setting
✓ Consequences of falls for older adults
✓ Falls risk factors for older adults
✓ Falls risk management strategies
✓ Identifying residents/clients who are at an increased risk of falls
✓ What to do if a fall occurs
✓ How to correctly document a falls incident
✓ Building a “falls prevention” culture within your home
FAQs
1. Who would be considered a person at a high risk of falls?
We can safely assume that most residents living in residential aged care at an increased risk of falls. If we adopt this mindset and work proactively to reduce the persons individual risk factors before a fall occurs, this can be a great way to lower falls rates.
However, an older person will typically be assessed as being at an increased risk of falls if they have:
Experienced previous falls
Issues with incontinence
A diagnosed cognitive impairment, Parkinson’s Disease, Diabetes or Stroke
A visual impairment
A gait or mobility impairment
A vestibular impairment
Reduced balance
Cardiac disease or blood pressure issues
Take 4 or more medications
2. Why do falls occur?
Whilst it’s not always possible to identify the exact cause of a fall, we can generally attribute falls to an interplay of intrinsic and extrinsic factors.
Intrinsic factors include things like a persons impaired vision, loss of muscle strength or a neuromuscular impairment that affects balance. Intrinsic factors are often non-modifiable or take time to improve.
Extrinsic factors include things like environmental hazards, incorrect footwear or faulty equipment. Extrinsic factors are usually easy to modify and control.
3. How can we measure a person’s falls risk level?
We can safely assume that most residents living in residential aged care at an increased risk of falls. However, there are a number of tools that can be used in order to assess a persons falls risk. These include the Falls Risk Assessment Tool (FRAT), Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and the Tinetti Assessment Tool.
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