Falls Prevention Horizon Scanning Bulletin Volume 5 Issue 5

Ankle dorsiflexion may be important in falls in fibromyalgic women

Source: Clinical Biomechanics, 2015, online

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Date of publication: April 2015

Publication type: Journal article

In a nutshell: Fibromyalgia produces chronic pain and allows only for a reduced range of motion, which leads to gait changes and a high incidence of falls. Intervention programmes can be designed by understanding these gait patterns. This study was designed to evaluate the range of motion of the hip and ankle joints in women with and without fibromyalgia. Ranges of motion were similar between groups except that fibromyalgia sufferers showed higher plantar flexion and lower dorsiflexion. Improved ankle kinematics in this group may help prevent falls and improve mobility.

Length of publication: 1 page

Some important notes: Please contact your local NHS Library for the full text of the article. Follow this link to find your local NHS Library.

Mobility is key predictor of wellbeing changes among older fallers

Source: Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 2015, online

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Date of publication: April 2015

Publication type: Journal article

In a nutshell: A study designed to determine the factors that predict changes in wellbeing over time in older people presenting to the Vancouver Falls Prevention Clinic.

Length of publication: 1 page

Some important notes: Please contact your local NHS Library for the full text of the article. Follow this link to find your local NHS Library.

Translating falls prevention knowledge for community-dwelling

Source: Journal of Alzheimers Disease and Parkinsonism

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Date of publication: March 2015 vol. 5 iss. 1

Publication type: Journal article

In a nutshell: A research article looking into preventing falls in older people with dementia.

Length of publication: 9 pages

 

 

 

Housing association’s rapid response falls service helps patients stay at home

Source: 24dash.com

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Date of publication: 9th April 2015

Publication type: News item

In a nutshell: Peaks & Plains Housing Trust, working with the North West Ambulance Service, has launched a rapid response falls service.

Length of publication: One page

 

 

 

Free programs for those elderly who have a fear of falling

Source: Eastern Riverina Chronicle

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Date of publication: 9th April 2015

Publication type: News article

In a nutshell: A falls prevention program designed to assist those living at home who have fallen or have a fear or falling.

Length of publication: One page

 

 

 

Falls prevention study gets international recognition in the Lancet

Source: Government of Western Australia Department of Health

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Date of publication: 10th April 2015

Publication type: News article

In a nutshell:  A successful research project that aimed to educate patients and carers about keeping safe while in hospital has been featured in the Lancet medical journal.

Length of publication: One page

 

 

 

Key factors influencing implementation of falls prevention exercise programs in the community

Source: Journal of Aging and Physical Activity

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Date of publication: 16th March 2015

Publication type: Journal article

In a nutshell: A study to evaluate the implementation of group and home based exercise falls prevention programs delivered through community health agencies to community dwelling older people.

Length of publication: 29 pages

Some important notes: Please contact your local NHS Library for the full text of the article. Follow this link to find your local NHS Library.

 

 

GP-led fracture prevention scheme could save NHS millions of pounds

Source: GP

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Date of publication: 15th April 2015

Publication type: News article

In a nutshell: An early prevention scheme for bone fractures trialled successfully by a GP federation in Northumberland could be rolled out nationwide to help slash the £2.3bn annual cost of fractures to the NHS.

Length of publication: One page

 

 

 

Gentle exercise program key component of CCAC’s fall prevention strategy

Source: Morning Post Exchange

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Date of publication: 15th April 2015

Publication type: News article

In a nutshell: A scheme instigated by staff from Community Support Connections demonstrating how a variety of gentle exercise programs can help reduce the number of falls.

Length of publication: One page

 

 

 

Promoting health and a calm mind

Source: Ithaca.com

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Date of publication: 25th April 2015

Publication type: News article

In a nutshell: Exercise classes such as Tai Chi are being offered as a method of reducing falls in older adults.

Length of publication: One page

 

 

Fall rates in hospital rehabilitation units after individualised education programmes

Source: The Lancet, 2015, online

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Date of publication: April 2015

Publication type: Journal article

In a nutshell: Falls are the most frequent adverse events that are reported in hospitals. The effectiveness of individualised falls-prevention education for patients were examined, supported by training and feedback for staff, delivered as a ward-level programme. Eight rehabilitation units in general hospitals in Australia participated. Individualised patient education programmes combined with training and feedback to staff added to usual care were found to reduce the rates of falls and injurious falls in older patients in rehabilitation hospital-units.

Length of publication: 1 page

Some important notes: Please contact your local NHS Library for the full text of the article. Follow this link to find your local NHS Library.

Biomechanical predictors of balance recovery amongst community-dwelling older adults

Source: Experimental Gerontology, 2015, Vol 66 p. 39-46

Follow this link for the abstract

Date of publication: June 2015

Publication type: Journal article

In a nutshell: Falls are prevalent in older adults and are predicted by the maximum forward lean magnitude that can be recovered using a single step. The purpose of this study was to determine the relative contribution of neuromuscular and biomechanical variables associated with balance recovery. Findings confirm that successful recovery from forward loss of balance is a whole body control task that requires adequate trunk control and generation of adequate lower limb moments to generate a long and rapid step. Training programmes that specifically target these measures may be effective in improving balance recovery performance and thereby contribute to fall prevention amongst older adults.

Length of publication: 7 pages

Some important notes: Please contact your local NHS Library for the full text of the article. Follow this link to find your local NHS Library.

Are Interprofessional Roundtable Debriefings Useful in Decreasing ED Fall Rates?

Source: Journal of Emergency Nursing, 2015, online

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Date of publication: April 2015

Publication type: Journal article

In a nutshell: There are more than one million patient falls each year in the United States. Falls are known to be a sign of poor health, are a marker of a decline in function, and are associated with a decline in morbidity. The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a Falls Roundtable intervention for reducing the rates of patient falls in an urban academic trauma centre emergency department. The Falls Roundtable incident debriefing intervention alone does not appear to be an effective tool for fall prevention in the ED setting but may serve as an integral component of a multifaceted fall-reduction strategy.

Length of publication: 1 page

Some important notes: Please contact your local NHS Library for the full text of the article. Follow this link to find your local NHS Library.