Falls prevention in older adults assessment and management

Background Falls increase with age, with substantial patient harm resulting in high healthcare utilisation. High level evidence exists for a range of effective falls prevention strategies. Objective To provide an evidence based update of falls prevention recommendations, applicable to the primary ca...

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Main Authors: Waldron, N., Hill, Anne-Marie, Barker, A.
Format: Journal Article
Published: 2012
Online Access:http://www.racgp.org.au/afp/2012/december/falls-prevention/
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/18619
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author Waldron, N.
Hill, Anne-Marie
Barker, A.
author_facet Waldron, N.
Hill, Anne-Marie
Barker, A.
author_sort Waldron, N.
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Background Falls increase with age, with substantial patient harm resulting in high healthcare utilisation. High level evidence exists for a range of effective falls prevention strategies. Objective To provide an evidence based update of falls prevention recommendations, applicable to the primary care setting. Discussion For older adults in the community, exercise programs and vitamin D supplementation in those with deficiency are highly effective in preventing falls. Psychoactive drug withdrawal, home visits, vision optimisation and a multifactorial approach are also effective. In residential aged care, routine vitamin D supplementation is highly effective in preventing falls and fractures. General practitioners are well placed to identify those at risk of falls and implement prevention strategies utilising other healthcare professionals as required. The general practitioner's role in educating and supporting patient behaviour change is critical to the uptake of falls prevention recommendations.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-186192017-01-30T12:08:52Z Falls prevention in older adults assessment and management Waldron, N. Hill, Anne-Marie Barker, A. Background Falls increase with age, with substantial patient harm resulting in high healthcare utilisation. High level evidence exists for a range of effective falls prevention strategies. Objective To provide an evidence based update of falls prevention recommendations, applicable to the primary care setting. Discussion For older adults in the community, exercise programs and vitamin D supplementation in those with deficiency are highly effective in preventing falls. Psychoactive drug withdrawal, home visits, vision optimisation and a multifactorial approach are also effective. In residential aged care, routine vitamin D supplementation is highly effective in preventing falls and fractures. General practitioners are well placed to identify those at risk of falls and implement prevention strategies utilising other healthcare professionals as required. The general practitioner's role in educating and supporting patient behaviour change is critical to the uptake of falls prevention recommendations. 2012 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/18619 http://www.racgp.org.au/afp/2012/december/falls-prevention/ restricted
spellingShingle Waldron, N.
Hill, Anne-Marie
Barker, A.
Falls prevention in older adults assessment and management
title Falls prevention in older adults assessment and management
title_full Falls prevention in older adults assessment and management
title_fullStr Falls prevention in older adults assessment and management
title_full_unstemmed Falls prevention in older adults assessment and management
title_short Falls prevention in older adults assessment and management
title_sort falls prevention in older adults assessment and management
url http://www.racgp.org.au/afp/2012/december/falls-prevention/
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/18619