Falls Free Living in Later Life Lauren Breeden

Background What is the prevalence of falls? Who is at risk for a fall? What complications arise from a fall? How can falls be prevented? Systematic Review

Fall Prevalence 1 in 3 adults 65 plus fall each year Every 13 seconds an older adult is rushed to the ER Every 20 minutes an older adult passes away from a fall 2 million older adults are treated in the ER per year 700,000 older adults are hospitalized each year due to falls

Fall Facts Falling once doubles your chances of falling again 1 out of 5 falls leads to serious injury $34 billion is spent on fall related costs each year 2,134,721 died from unintentional fall in 2013

Who is at Risk? Older adults 65 plus Sedentary individuals Chronic disease sufferers Individuals with vision changes Older adults on multiple medications Diabetes and sensation loss Slower reflexes Older adults who have already sustained a fall

Complications From a Fall Hip fractures Bone breaks Altered activates of daily living Costs Relocating home, social isolation Loss of independence Surgery More medication

Fall Prevention Fall proof your home Loose rugs removed Proper lighting Remove loose items from high traveled paths Hand railings and grab bars Non-slip the bathroom Stair walking safety Home rearrangement Proper footwear Eat proper diet Get up and get moving

Systematic Review Meta-analysis and Review Reviewed the nature of fall reporting in fall prevention studies Concluded that the methods are so different in reporting falls that the different studies are too different to use previous research

What has Been Done? Fall prevention programs Senior centers Falls free coalition Falls free month and day Silver Sneakers Home Health

Analysis Effectiveness of fall prevention programs 52 week Stepping Out program Statistically significant improvement in fall prevalence Active, self motivation improved in effort to prevent falls Fall prevention program in home dwelling individuals who have previously sustained a fall Mostly dealt with knowledge and left older adults to preform the activities at home

Do the Programs Work? They show small differences in fall prevention How can we improve them? Involve the community resources Use a multi dimensional approach Shorten the program

Recommendations My Ideal Program 3 month program, 3 times a week Containing exercise, balance training, diet analysis, home evaluations, falls free life information sessions, immediate fall reporting, medication reviews, and personal consulting sessions Get local fitness facilities involved Provide a continuation of program options

Program Aspects Exercise Resistive training has been seen to be most effective in strengthening for older adults Endurance training Special attention on core stabilization and lower body muscles Diet Added calcium and sources to receive it from and necessary nutrients for absorption Proper meal making Successful snacking Hydration

Program Aspects Continued Balance training Balance exercises to improve internal proprioception Awareness of space and ability to correct falls when happening Medication reviews Pharmacists on staff to review medications for possible improper mixtures Falls free information and Home Evaluations Evaluation of home and how to reduce fall risk Personal consult to find their individual largest risks and how to prevent them

What Makes the Difference Proper fall reporting Timely fashion Detail oriented Involving community programs Local gyms to give senior discounts Senior centers for community Local Occupational Therapists to be on call for home health

Conclusion Falls are preventable Falls cause life long effects in the aging adult Get involved Professionals Family and friends Community centers

References Ungar, A., Rafanelli, M., Iacomelli, I., Brunetti, M. A., Ceccofiglio, A., Tesi, F., & Marchionni, N. (2013). Fall prevention in the elderly. Clinical Cases In Mineral & Bone Metabolism, 10(2), Guelich, M. (n.d.). Prevention of Falls in the Elderly: A Literature Review. Topics in Geriatric Rehabilitation, Wang, P., Low, K., Tani, J., & Chandra, T. (n.d.). Initial Study On A Home-Based Floor-Mat System For Fall Prevention Of Elderly Based On Gait Analysis. International Journal of Information Acquisition Int. J. Inf. Acquisition, Molina, J., Ismail, N., Heng, B., & Leong, I. (n.d.). Effectiveness of A Community-Based Falls Prevention Program For The Elderly. Value in Health. Bae, J., Cho, S., & An, D. (2012). Community based programme for fall prevention in home dwelling elderly: Randomised controlled trial. Injury Prevention. Hauer, K. (2006). Systematic review of definitions and methods of measuring falls in randomised controlled fall prevention trials. Age and Ageing, Canning, C., Sherrington, C., Lord, S., Fung, V., Close, J., Latt, M.,... Murray, S. (n.d.). Exercise therapy for prevention of falls in people with Parkinson's disease: A protocol for a randomised controlled trial and economic evaluation. BMC Neurology BMC Neurol, 4-4. Preventing Falls Among Older Adults. (2013, September 23). Retrieved November 10, 2015, from National Center for Injury Prevention and Control Alexander BH, Rivara FP, Wolf ME. The cost and frequency of hospitalization for fall–related injuries in older adults. American Journal of Public Health 1992;82(7):1020–3. SAS/IntrNet Application Dispatcher. (2014). Retrieved November 10, 2015, from