Falls Prevention - Introduction

Introduction

Stand Up Right – Stay Upright! was a joint initiative in collaboration with:

Stand Up Right – Stay Upright! was implemented in two phases, Phase 1 May 2002 – May 2004, and Phase 2 May 2004 – May 2005.

Stand Up Right – Stay Upright! will be carried out in two specific settings.

What was the aim of the project?

The long term aim of the Stand Up Right – Stay Upright! project was to reduce the overall incidence of falls and falls related injuries among people aged 65 or more years (55 or more years for Indigenous Australians) who reside in the community by:

improving early identification of individuals at risk
providing better integrated multidisciplinary interventions for older clients with complex care needs
increasing awareness of falls and interventions among stakeholders

What were the objectives of the project?

Phase 1

To demonstrate a major workforce development initiative conducted in two specific settings that would extend the capacity of services to provide falls prevention strategies.

coordination of multidisciplinary falls prevention interventions through uptake of Medicare EPC items both by GPs and in GP practices in a regional centre and surrounding rural areas; and
enhancement of the capacity of a Department of Emergency Medicine (DEM) in a metropolitan public hospital to identify and initiate ongoing management for non-admitted clients at risk of falls through implementation of best practice guidelines.

To determine the extent to which each initiative: improved early identification of individuals at risk; provided better integrated multidisciplinary interventions; and increased awareness and knowledge of falls and falls interventions.
To build new partnerships between health providers from acute and community aged care sectors, non-government organisations, general practice, training organisations, professional colleges and associations, and consumer groups across Tasmania.
To build on falls prevention activities already underway to ensure an integrated and sustainable statewide network of organisations committed to a coordinated and systems-based approach to the implementation of evidence-based best practice interventions in falls and falls injury prevention in older people.

Phase 2

To increase knowledge amongst rural and regional health practitioners about fall related injury prevention and best practice interventions. This was facilitated by:

the development of a falls prevention clinically-focussed education package for General Practitioners.

To improve early identification of community dwelling older people aged 75 or more years at risk of fall related injury. This was facilitated by:

providing general practices with a Falls Risk Assessment Tool to complement practices’ existing Health Assessment protocols.

To increase utilisation and integration of local services and resources that can contribute to prevention of fall related injuries. This was facilitated by:

development of a localised falls prevention resource/referral guide.
promotion to medical practitioners of the Home Medicine Review Scheme as an important falls prevention strategy.
demonstrating falls prevention assessment to provide General Practitioners and allied health workers with an opportunity to develop an understanding of best practice falls prevention case management.

To build on existing falls prevention activities to ensure an integrated and sustainable statewide network of organisations. This was facilitated by:

the continuation of the falls prevention e-mail list from Phase 1 of the project and the dissemination of project outcomes at a statewide level to assist in the establishment of a permanent falls prevention network in Tasmania.