Falls Links
February 2024 | Issue 1 |
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Welcome to the February 2024 issue of our newsletter |
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IN THIS ISSUE -
Plenary Speakers Announced! NSW Fall Prevention and Healthy Ageing Network 2024 Annual Fall Forum
- Save the Date! Western NSW LHD Rural Forum
- Australian Falls Guidelines Recommendations and Good Practice Points - Open for Consultation
Research Highlights - Stepping On - Update
- Upcoming Events
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Plenary Speakers Announced! 2024 Annual Fall Forum |
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| NSW Fall Prevention and Healthy Ageing Network 2024 Annual Fall Forum
Friday June 7th, 2024 Wesley Conference Centre, Sydney
The NSW Fall Prevention & Healthy Ageing Network Annual Forum provides a fantastic opportunity to come together and learn about the latest on fall prevention and healthy ageing. Listen to experts in their field provide an overview of the latest research, advocacy, quality improvement and fall prevention in residential aged care and hospital, and community program initiatives.
This forum also provides a fabulous opportunity to network, exchanges ideas and learn from each other. To revisit the 2023 forum, click here. |
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Plenary Speakers include: |
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Pam Albany Guest Lecture: Prof Hylton Menz, NHMRC Senior Research Fellow, School of Allied Health, Human Services and Sport, La Trobe University |
| Prof Sallie Lamb, Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Executive Dean of the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, UK |
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Dr Jasmine Menant, Senior Research Scientist, Falls, Balance and Injury Research Centre, NeuRA |
| Dr Sandra Iuliano, Senior Research Fellow, Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne |
| A/Prof Natalie Allen, Senior Lecturer,
Program Director, The University of Sydney |
| Prof Cathie Sherrington, Senior Principal Research Fellow, NHMRC Leadership Fellow, The University of Sydney
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Save the Date! Western NSW LHD Rural Forum |
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Australian Falls Guidelines Recommendations and Good Practice Points - Open for Consultation |
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Draft Recommendations and Good Practice Points from the Australian Fall Prevention Guidelines, prepared for the Australian Commission on Quality and Safety in Health Care, are still open for consultation. The Recommendations and Good Practice Points can be viewed at https://www.anzfallsprevention.org/
along with three separate feedback surveys. The updated Guidelines aim to improve the safety and quality of care for older people in Residential Aged Care Services, Community Care and Australian Hospitals and offer a nationally consistent approach to preventing falls based on best practice recommendations.
As a key stakeholder in the falls network, your feedback is sought on:
- Updated Fall Prevention Guidelines (Residential Aged Care Services) – recommendations and good practice points
- Updated Fall Prevention Guidelines (Community Care) – recommendations and good practice points
- Updated Fall Prevention Guidelines (Hospital) – recommendations and good practice points
Please send any additional feedback you may have to this email: anzfallsprevention@neura.edu.au by the 10th March 2024. |
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Exergame and cognitive training for preventing falls in community-dwelling older people: a randomized controlled trial
Sturnieks, D.L., Hicks, C., Smith, N. et al. Nat Med. 2024 Jan;30(1):98-105. DOI: 10.1038/s41591-023-02739-0 Abstract
Exergame training, in which video games are used to promote exercise, can be tailored to address cognitive and physical risk factors for falls and is a promising method for fall prevention in older people. Here, we performed a randomized clinical trial using the smart±step gaming system to examine the effectiveness of two home-based computer game interventions, seated cognitive training and step exergame training, for fall prevention in community-dwelling older people, as compared with a minimal-intervention control group. Participants aged 65 years or older (n = 769, 71% female) living independently in the community were randomized to one of three arms: (1) cognitive training using a computerized touchpad while seated, (2) exergame step training on a computerized mat or (3) control (provided with an education booklet on healthy ageing and fall prevention). The rate of falls reported monthly over 12 months-the primary outcome of the trial-was significantly reduced in the exergame training group compared with the control group (incidence rate ratio = 0.74, 95% confidence interval = 0.56-0.98), but was not statistically different between the cognitive training and control groups (incidence rate ratio = 0.86, 95% confidence interval = 0.65-1.12). No beneficial effects of the interventions were found for secondary outcomes of physical and cognitive function, and no serious intervention-related adverse events were reported. The results of this trial support the use of exergame step training for preventing falls in community-dwelling older people. As this intervention can be conducted at home and requires only minimal equipment, it has the potential for scalability as a public health intervention to address the increasing problem of falls and fall-related injuries. Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry identifier: ACTRN12616001325493.
Read more here |
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The science of falls and how to prevent them Lamb, S.E., Williams, G. & Young, W. Nat Med. 2024 Jan;30(1):35-36. DOI: 10.1038/s41591-023-02749-y Abstract
As populations age, falls are an increasing public health problem; strategies to prevent them should incorporate new technologies and insights into the sensory, perceptual and motor systems controlling balance. Read more here For more fall prevention-related research publications, the NSW Fall Prevention and Healthy Ageing Network collates abstracts from SafetyLit.org which can be viewed here. |
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The March Stepping On training program is now full, with places now available for training in May. For more details or enquiries, visit the Stepping On website:
www.steppingon.com/contact-us/ A copy of the Stepping On training flyer is attached. |
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15th Injury Prevention & Safety Promotion Conference
11th - 13th March 2024, Rotorua, Aotearoa, New Zealand EU Falls Festival Malta 2024 25th - 26th April 2024, Radisson Blu Resort, St Julian's, Malta 18th World Congress of the International Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine 1st - 6th June 2024, International Convention Centre Sydney, Sydney, Australia NSW Fall Prevention and Healthy Ageing Network Annual Forum 7th June 2024, Wesley Conference Centre, Sydney, Australia Safety 2024 - 15th World Conference on Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion 2nd - 4th September 2024, Delhi, India |
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Our vision is to lead the way in fall prevention and other healthy ageing initiatives by harnessing expert knowledge and being collaborative in all we do. We work closely with researchers, policy makers, health practitioners and community service providers in the development and promotion of healthy ageing services and programs with a focus on preventing falls and fall-related injury.
Our purpose is to support practitioners to improve the lives of older Australians through healthy ageing initiatives with a focus on preventing falls and fall-related injuries. |
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Do you have any news on Falls Prevention or healthy ageing that you want to share with others on the network, or report on a project that is happening in your area. We also welcome suggestions for articles and information you would like to see in this newsletter. Send your news and suggestions to: fallsnetwork@neura.edu.au |
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Contact Us: Telephone +61 2 9399 1063 Email fallsnetwork@neura.edu.au
Our mailing address is:
NSW Falls Prevention Network
Neuroscience Research Australia
PO Box 1165
Randwick NSW 2031 Copyright © NSW Falls Prevention and Healthy Ageing Network |
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