Falls Links
April 2024 | Issue 2 |
|
|
Welcome to the April 2024 issue of our newsletter |
|
|
IN THIS ISSUE - April Falls campaign
- NSW Fall Prevention and Healthy Ageing Network 2024 Annual Fall Forum
- Western NSW LHD Rural Forum
-
Centre for Population Health - Healthy Ageing offerings
Research Highlights - Stepping On
-
SHARE - Positions Available for Fitness Instructors
- Upcoming Events
|
|
|
The Better Balance for Fall Prevention is the theme of this year’s April Falls campaign and encourages older adults to be more active, build their strength, maintain their independence and reduce falls. As part of our campaign, a series of resources have been developed, including: -
Physical activity and healthy eating posters
- Healthy ageing campaign challenge
- Social media tiles
- April Falls 2024 PowerPoint presentation
- Links to other helpful resources such as fall screening tools, community exercise programs and much more!
To access the April Falls 2024 campaign resources, click here. |
|
|
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.
Abstract submissions and registrations are now open for the 2024 annual forum, click here. |
|
|
Plenary Speakers include: |
|
|
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 |
|
|
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
|
|
|
Western NSW LHD Rural Forum is Fast Approaching! |
WNSWLHD Rural Forum Friday April 12th, 2024
OHS Lecture Theatre, Orange Health Service Level 1, Orange
The NSW Fall Prevention & Healthy Ageing Network Rural Forum provides a fantastic opportunity to come together and learn about the latest in fall prevention and healthy ageing with an aim to inspire and motivate care staff to provide high quality, evidence-based care with a focus on strategies to reduce risk & harm from falls. The program will include: - Presentations from keynote speakers
- Fall Prevention initiative updates from WNSWLHD
- Clinical Excellence Commission (CEC) Older Persons’ Patient Safety Program
- Consumer perspectives
To register for the WNSWLHD Rural forum, click here. |
|
|
Centre for Population Health - Healthy Ageing offerings |
|
|
NSW Health has a suite of Healthy Ageing offerings to support older adults to live healthy and active lives and to help them stay independent for as long as possible. These offerings can be freely accessed and are designed for use and promotion within community groups. Active and Healthy Website
The Active and Healthy website hosts an online exercise directory and free self-directed education modules to support healthy ageing and falls prevention. Through the exercise directory, older adults can find local physical activity and healthy lifestyle programs, including falls prevention programs, tailored to those over the age of 50. Community groups and exercise providers are encouraged to promote their physical activity and healthy lifestyle offerings by uploading these to the state-wide directory.
Healthy Ageing Online Learning
The Active and Healthy website also hosts free Healthy Ageing Online Learning education modules and home-based exercise circuits. Healthy Ageing Online Learning includes healthy lifestyle and exercise resources to help older adults make small, achievable lifestyle changes. The free resources include:
• eight online learning modules with quizzes, covering healthy eating and lifestyle topics
• two online exercise circuits for beginners, that can be completed at home or in a group setting
• fact sheets with helpful tips and information
• an exercise manual and logbook
Refer to the attached flyers for more information. |
|
|
Risk assessment and prevention of falls in older community-dwelling adults: a review
Colón-Emeric CS, McDermott CL, Lee DS, Berry SD. J. Am. Med. Assoc. JAMA 2024; ePub(ePub): ePub. DOI: 10.1001/jama.2024.1416
Abstract
Importance: Falls are reported by more than 14 million US adults aged 65 years or older annually and can result in substantial morbidity, mortality, and health care expenditures.
Observations: Falls result from age-related physiologic changes compounded by multiple intrinsic and extrinsic risk factors. Major modifiable risk factors among community-dwelling older adults include gait and balance disorders, orthostatic hypotension, sensory impairment, medications, and environmental hazards. Guidelines recommend that individuals who report a fall in the prior year, have concerns about falling, or have gait speed less than 0.8 to 1 m/s should receive fall prevention interventions. In a meta-analysis of 59 randomized clinical trials (RCTs) in average-risk to high-risk populations, exercise interventions to reduce falls were associated with 655 falls per 1000 patient-years in intervention groups vs 850 falls per 1000 patient-years in nonexercise control groups (rate ratio [RR] for falls, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.71-0.83; risk ratio for number of people who fall, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.81-0.89; risk difference, 7.2%; 95% CI, 5.2%-9.1%), with most trials assessing balance and functional exercises. In a meta-analysis of 43 RCTs of interventions that systematically assessed and addressed multiple risk factors among individuals at high risk, multifactorial interventions were associated with 1784 falls per 1000 patient-years in intervention groups vs 2317 falls per 1000 patient-years in control groups (RR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.67-0.87) without a significant difference in the number of individuals who fell. Other interventions associated with decreased falls in meta-analysis of RCTs and quasi-randomized trials include surgery to remove cataracts (8 studies with 1834 patients; risk ratio [RR], 0.68; 95% CI, 0.48-0.96), multicomponent podiatry interventions (3 studies with 1358 patients; RR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.61-0.99), and environmental modifications for individuals at high risk (12 studies with 5293 patients; RR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.61-0.91). Meta-analysis of RCTs of programs to stop medications associated with falls have not found a significant reduction, although deprescribing is a component of many successful multifactorial interventions.
Conclusions and Relevance: More than 25% of older adults fall each year, and falls are the leading cause of injury-related death in persons aged 65 years or older. Functional exercises to improve leg strength and balance are recommended for fall prevention in average-risk to high-risk populations. Multifactorial risk reduction based on a systematic clinical assessment for modifiable risk factors may reduce fall rates among those at high risk. Read more here |
|
|
For more fall prevention-related research publications, the NSW Fall Prevention and Healthy Ageing Network collates abstracts from SafetyLit.org each week which can be viewed here.
|
|
|
Only a couple of places are available for Stepping On training in May. The next training day has been scheduled for the 23rd of September.
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. |
| |
|
SHARE - Positions Available for Fitness Instructors |
|
|
SHARE SMR Inc is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to providing affordable, accessible and varied health and fitness programs to the community.
SHARE specialises in delivering exercise programs for seniors and are currently looking for accredited fitness instructors to join our team and lead a range of both land
and water group exercise classes. |
| |
|
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 |
|
|
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. |
|
|
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
|
| |
|
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 |
|
|
|
