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Falls Prevention Scanning Bulletin Volume 9 Issue 10

Aquatic exercise training for falls and potentially modifiable risk factors of falls in older people: A blinded randomized controlled trial protocol

Source: European Journal of Integrative Medicine

Follow this link for the abstract

Date of publication: October 2020, Vol. 39.

 Publication type: Journal article

In a nutshell: There is a lack of randomized clinical trials involving hydrotherapy to prevent falls in people over the age of 65 years. This trial aims to verify the effects of hydrotherapy on falls and potentially modifiable risk factors of falls in community-dwelling people aged 65 years and over.Volume 9 Issue 10

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.

Missed opportunities to diagnose and intervene in modifiable risk factors for older emergency department patients presenting after a fall

Source: Annals of emergency Medicine

Follow this link for the abstract

Date of publication: 30 September 2020

 Publication type: Journal article

In a nutshell: Falls are a major cause of mortality and morbidity in adults aged 65 years and older and a common chief complaint in the emergency department (ED). However, the rate of missed opportunities to diagnose and intervene in modifiable fall-risk factors in the ED is unknown. We hypothesize that although ED providers (defined as ED attendings, residents, and advanced care providers) excel at assessing and ruling out injury, they miss the opportunity to identify a large portion of the modifiable risk factors that contribute to a patient’s fall. Our objective is to quantify the number of missed opportunities to identify and reduce fall-risk factors in older adult ED patients presenting after a fall.

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.

The effectiveness of e-interventions on fall, neuromuscular functions and quality of life in community-dwelling older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Source: International Journal of Nursing Studies

Follow this link for the abstract

Date of publication: January 2021, Vol. 113.

 Publication type: Journal article

In a nutshell: Falls in older adults result in serious, life-limiting consequences. An increasing number of fall prevention interventions have used technology to reduce the number of falls in community-dwelling adults. Various types of e-interventions are being tested in clinical trials and in the community. These include telehealth, exergames, cognitive games, socialized training, smart home systems and non-conventional balance training. Currently, no systematic review and meta-analysis has assessed the overall effectiveness of e-interventions and compared the effectiveness of the different types.

The aim of this review was to synthesize best available evidence concerning the effectiveness of e-interventions on fall, neuromuscular functions and quality of life in community-dwelling older adults.

Length of publication: 12 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.

Increasing the uptake of vitamin D supplement use in Australian residential aged care facilities: results from the vitamin D implementation (ViDAus) study

Source: BMC Geriatrics

Follow this link for the abstract

Date of publication: 6 October 2020, Vol. 20 Iss. 383.

 Publication type: Journal article

In a nutshell: Adequate (≥800 IU/day) vitamin D supplement use in Australian residential aged care facilities (RACFs) is variable and non-optimal. The vitamin D implementation (ViDAus) study aimed to employ a range of strategies to support the uptake of this best practice in participating facilities. The aim of this paper is to report on facility level prevalence outcomes and factors associated with vitamin D supplement use.

 Length of publication: 11 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.

Systematic causality mapping of factors leading to accidental falls of older adults

Source: Public Health in Practice

Follow this link for the abstract

Date of publication: November 2021 Vol. 1.

 Publication type: Journal article

In a nutshell: According to WHO’s statistical evidence, accidental falls are the second leading causes of death worldwide. This systematic literature review and meta-analysis aims to provide a holistic view of risk factors and unfold the missing or less addressed but crucial factors that lead to accidental falls of the older adults. It also intends to profile the risk factors at different levels, which helps exhibit the level of consistency relationship between various risk factors and falls.

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.

Developing self-management application of fall prevention among older adults: a content and usability evaluation

Source: Frontiers in Digital Health

Follow this link for the abstract

Date of publication: 2 September 2020

 Publication type: Journal article

In a nutshell: This paper presents a research and development project for studying aging and technology in fall prevention. Falls are an important global health problem in an aging global population. Up to 50% of serious falls may be fatal. Falls result from the cumulative effects of cognitive, musculoskeletal and sensory decline on postural control and substantially affect the activities of daily living, leading to a lower quality of life and physical injury. A near-fall, misstep and a prior fall are established risk factors for a more serious fall. The fear of falling may reduce physical activity and further predispose to falling. However, limitations in the reporting and documentation of fall events create “silent events”—events that are neither documented nor acted upon. An “Age-Techcare” Application (App) was designed using open innovation methods with local older adult populations and health care professionals through a mixed-methodology approach. The App comprised a digital diary for the self-reporting of fall events and an exercise video to strengthen balance as a fall-prevention intervention. 

 Length of publication: 14 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.