Falls Links
November 2025 | Issue 11 |
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Welcome to the November 2025 issue of our newsletter |
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NSW Fall Prevention and Healthy Ageing Network Annual Forum Friday May 1st 2026 Wesley Conference Centre, Sydney
Each year, the NSW Fall Prevention & Healthy Ageing Network Annual Forum provides a unique opportunity for health professionals and the community to come together and learn 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 initiatives in residential aged care, hospital, and community settings. This forum also provides a fabulous opportunity to network, exchanges ideas and learn from each other.
Abstracts and rural travel grant applications open 19 January 2026 and close on Tuesday 17 March 2026 at 5pm.
Revisit past Annual Forums here. |
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2025 Mid-North Coast LHD Rural Forum |
Friday 28 November 2025 Location: Slim Dusty Centre, Kempsey
Mark your calendars for the Mid-North Coast LHD Rural Forum. The aim of our rural forums is to inspire local healthcare 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 the Mid-North Coast LHD
- Clinical Excellence Commission (CEC) Older Persons’ Patient Safety Program
- Consumer perspectives
Click here for the rural forum program. |
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2025 Mid-North Coast LHD Exercise to Prevent Falls in Older People Workshop |
Saturday 29 November 2025
Location: Slim Dusty Centre, Kempsey
This course will equip community-based exercise providers, fitness instructors, allied health, registered nurses and other health professionals with important information to guide the provision of appropriate falls prevention physical activity and exercise programs for older people. Participants will be required to complete 6 online learning modules prior to attending a 3.5 hour face-to-face practical session providing: - An overview of the issue of falls in older people
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Understanding balance and ageing
- Evidence-based fall prevention exercises
- Developing fall prevention programs
A certificate will be provided after completion of the workshop and can be used to claim continuing professional development points.
Morning tea provided. |
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April Falls 2026 Merchandise Orders | |
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Our yearly April Falls campaign raises awareness of falls and provides appropriate resources to prevent falls in their daily life. During the campaign, we aim to support healthcare professionals and the broader community in promoting balance in all areas of life for fall prevention and healthy ageing, including exercise, nutrition, resilience and social engagement.
We will be promoting best-practice fall prevention strategies with a focus on involving all parties to prevent falls.
Please click on the link for the 2026 merchandise catalogue and order form. Order cut off date - 30th January 2026.
Please email orders to: sales@goodgear.com.au
Our past April Falls campaign webpage can be found here. Resources will be updated in the coming months. |
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Falling short on implementation of fall prevention guidelines in health services: a systematic review with meta-analysis
Haley MN, Sherrington C, Lawler K, Harding KE, Lord M, Williams S, Taylor NF. Age Ageing. 2025 Aug 29;54(10):afaf307. DOI: 10.1093/ageing/afaf307 Abstract Background: Falls are a serious risk for people who use health services. We aimed to evaluate the implementation of fall prevention guidelines in health services.
Methods: Databases and grey literature were searched for studies of the implementation of fall prevention guidelines in health services. Implementation outcomes were aligned with the reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation and maintenance framework. The methodological quality of included papers was assessed using an internal validity checklist. Results were synthesised using narrative synthesis and meta-analysis. The certainty of evidence of each meta-analysis was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation framework.
Results: Fifty-five studies of over 115 000 patients implemented recommendations from 14 fall prevention guidelines. Methodological quality was generally poor (median of 5 of 13 internal validity criteria). Median reach of guideline implementation was 64% (range 38%-96%, five studies). Meta-analysis provided low certainty evidence that implementing guidelines did not prevent falls [falls risk ratio 1.01, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.81-1.26; falls rate ratio 1.06, 95% CI = 0.77-1.46]. Adoption of fall prevention recommendations by health professionals improved in 87% of recorded outcomes across 43 studies and was maintained 50% of the time. Adherence of patients to recommendations, however, varied from 7% to 73%. Two studies assessed maintenance of reduced falls percentage or rates and found that changes were sustained.
Conclusion: Implementation of fall prevention guidelines in health services can change and sometimes sustain fall prevention behaviour of health professionals. It is uncertain whether implementation leads to reduced falls or changes in patient behaviour.
Read more here
For more fall prevention-related research publications, the NSW Fall Prevention and Healthy Ageing Network collates abstracts each month which can be viewed here. |
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Recorded Presentation - Falls prevention in practice: Keeping older adults safe and steady |
Prof Anne Tiedemann recently presented to the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) on the topic of Falls prevention in practice: Keeping older adults safe and steady, with the following learning outcomes: - Identify and screen for fall risk factors effectively
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Apply evidence-based falls prevention processes
- Demonstrate how to collaborate with allied health professional
- Describe how medications may increase the risk of falling
- Discuss fall prevention processes in your medical practice
- Implement referral pathways, including to Get Healthy Service support for older adults
The presentation is now freely available to view on YouTube by clicking here. |
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Call for Participants - Study on Engaging communities to prevent falls |
Researchers at NeuRA are conducting a study titled ‘Engaging communities to prevent falls: A collaborative pre- and post-hospital support initiative’.
The project takes a community-focused approach to reduce falls during and after hospitalisation in older people. In partnership with Ramsay Health Care, we will co-design and evaluate strategies such as hospital-based education, pharmacist-led medication reviews, digital home exercise programs, and Rotary-supported community outreach. Our goal is to create a scalable model that supports safer transitions home, improves recovery and reduces hospital readmissions. Who can participate:
Group 1: People 60+ years awaiting surgery or have been recently discharged following planned surgery;
Group 2: Key staff employed within the Sydney Local Health District, such as managers, health professionals, exercise providers and pharmacists.
What’s involved: Taking part in an interview or focus group that will take no longer than 60 minutes. To find out more about the study or get involved click here. This study has been approved by the St Vincent’s Hospital Human Research Ethics Committee 2025/ETH01111. Study flyer attached. |
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Come to visit us at the Stepping On stall at the MNCLHD Rural Forum (28 November 2025) and the Australia and New Zealand Fall Prevention Society Conference (23-25 November).
Facilitators: a copy of the Stepping On guide for NGOs is attached. Fidelity Coaching Sessions
My name is Megan Swann ( www.steppingon.com ) and am one of the authors of this fantastic program. In order for the program to work we try and keep to the core elements and avoid program drift. This can happen over time.
We have found that visiting you just once at one of the weeks in the seven group program with the aim to check on fidelity has helped keep the program standardised. For more information, contact us through the website www.steppingon.com |
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ANZHFR Binational Hip Fest 2025
6 - 7 November 2025, Rydges Hotel, Melbourne Australia
11th Biennial Australia & New Zealand Falls Prevention Society Conference
23 - 25 November 2025, Sofitel Sydney Wentworth Hotel, Sydney, Australia
Asia-Pacific Society for Physical Activity (ASPA) Annual Conference
26 - 28 November 2025, Newcastle City Hall, Sydney, Australia
NSW Fall Prevention and Healthy Ageing Network Annual Forum 1 May 2026, Wesley Conference Centre, Sydney, Australia Positive Ageing Summit
20 - 21 May 2026, Adelaide, Australia
3rd World Falls Congress - British Geriatric Society in association with the World Falls Prevention Society and EU Falls Fest
24 - 26 June 2026, Manchester, UK |
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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 Fall 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 Fall Prevention Network and Healthy Ageing Network
Neuroscience Research Australia
PO Box 1165
Randwick NSW 2031
Copyright © NSW Fall Prevention and Healthy Ageing Network |
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