Resources
Call for Action
Buchbinder R, Haines T et al. Case for Action: Falls and fracture prevention. Submitted by the NHMRC Research Translation Faculty Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Steering Group and the Injury Prevention and Control Steering Group; February 2015.
Policies
NSW Ministry of Health
Prevention of Falls and Harm from Falls among Older People:2011-2015
NSW Health Policy Directive
National Falls Prevention Plans
National Falls Prevention for Older people Plan – PDF ~295kb
2004 onwards (Published July 2005)
NZ Injury Prevention Strategy
New Zealand’s Cross Government Injury Prevention Work Plan (2014)
National Standards
Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare: National Safety and Quality Healthcare Service Standards
Standard 10: Preventing Falls and Harm from Falls
Guidelines
Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare
Preventing Falls and Harm from Falls in Older People: Best Practice guidelines for Australian Hospitals, Residential Aged Care Facilities and Community Care 2009
These guidelines were endorsed by the Australian Health Ministers at their meeting in November 2009. There are separate complete guidelines and shorter guidebooks for Hospitals, Residential Aged Care Facilities and Community Care as well as Fact Sheets and an Implementation Guideline.
The commission has produced three resources to guide health service managers, clinicians and consumers in improving care of people with cognitive impairment.
Delirium Clinical Care Standard
This standard and accompanying resources provide guidance to consumers, clinicians and health services on delivering appropriate care to people at risk of, or with, delirium
Queensland Stay on Your Feet® Falls Prevention Guidelines
Queensland Stay on Your Feet® Community Good Practice Guidelines
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) UK
Falls:assessment and prevention of falls in older people, NICE Clinical Guideline 161, June 2013
American Geriatrics Society British Geriatrics Society Clinical Practice Guidelines: Prevention of Falls in Older Persons (2010)
These guidelines have recently been updated. There is a summary of recommendations and patient resources.
Best Practice Recommendations for Physical Activity to Prevent Falls in Older People
Undertaken by Catherine Sherrington, Stephen Lord and Jacqueline Close in 2008
This piece of work was commissioned by the Centre for Health Advancement of the NSW Department of Health through the Sax Institute in 2008. The authors were chosen for their research expertise in the field of falls prevention in older people, in Australia and internationally.
The aim of the work was to obtain clear answers to the two following questions, based on the best available evidence:
- “What are the types, frequency and intensity of physical activity that are most effective in reducing the risk of falls in older adults?”; and
- “What are the most effective programs for delivering these recommended types and levels of physical activity?”.
The report provides clear recommendations in response to these questions and is an important input to the development of evidence based falls prevention policy in NSW.
Models of Care
Aged Health Network, Agency for Clinical Innovation
ACI Orthogeriatric Clinical Practice Guide
ACI Orthogeriatrics Summary of Evidence
Musculoskeletal Network, Agency for Clinical Innovation.