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Home Care
Falls Prevention and Management Program
September 2011
Overview
Definition of falls and injury
Falls Assessment
Strategies and interventions
Evaluating
Roles and Responsibilities
What is a Fall?
Staff were asked in June of 2011 to define what a “fall” was. Here are some of their answers:
• “Uncontrolled, accidental movement to the ground”
• “No longer in an upright position and is prone on the floor or sitting on the floor”
• “Person makes contact with the ground”• “Loss of balance, trip, stumble – may hit floor”• “Cooler weather!” (my personal favorite)
Definition of a Fall
A Fall is:
“An event that results in a person coming to rest inadvertently on the ground or floor or other lower level, with or without injury.”
Definition of an Injury
An Injury is:
“Any “disruption” in body integrity that was not present before the fall. This would include a scrape, bruise, bump, laceration, fracture, abrasion, etc.”
Consequences of Falls
• Fractures of hip, femur, humerus, wrist and rib• Soft tissue injuries• Hematoma
(subdural or other body area)• Transient confusion• Social/psychological consequences
(ex. loss of courage, independence, confidence and family reaction)
• Hospitalization• Death
Canadian Statistics
• Falls are the leading cause of overall injury cost in Canada
• They account for $6.2 billion or 31% of total costs of all injuries in a year. (Safer HealthCare Now!2011)
• Falls are primary cause of injury admissions to Canada’s acute care hospitals, accounting for 57% of all injury hospitalizations and more than 40% of all admissions to long term care.
Home Care Statistics
• From April 2011 to August 2011 there have been 10 recorded falls at Home Care
• These are clients who are over the age of 65 and are case managed
• These falls have been identified using the Confidential Occurrence Report
Strategies and Interventions
• Falls prevention is a Required Organizational Practice (ROP) of Accreditation Canada. All areas are required to implement a falls prevention strategy.
Strategies at Home Care
We are:
Implementing a Home Care Falls Committee/Program
Implementing a pilot project to reduce falls in areas 45 and 82 which includes the completion of a Home Safety Checklist
Educating all Home Care/SWADD staff about Falls
Home Care Falls Committee
Members:
Connie Fiorante RN co-chair
Lori Tulloch – Director
Glenda Popowich – Manager
Tamara McDermit – Manager
Linda Picot – Health Info Analyst
Brenda Federko – HHA
Tricia Murray – Office Assistant
Carol Hepting – OT
Cara Christian HHA co-chair
Lorna Kathol – Manager
Debbie Poncsak – Manager
Vicki Demerse – MDS Manager
Coleen Lundeen – RN
Linda Voss – LPN
Palliative sub-committee:
Bev Cross
Fall Risk Interventions
• Evaluate gait & balance
• Introduce exercise – reduces falls by 37%
• Medication Review – reduces falls by 21%
• Supplement Vit D – reduces falls by 43% (refer to article)
• Treat Vision impairment (i.e. cataracts)
• Manage Postural Hypotension
• Assess home for risk factors (Home Safety Checklist)*
• Gradual withdrawal of psychotropics – reduces falls by 66% (ex. hs sedation)
• Educate staff about falls*
* these are the interventions we are trying at Home Care
Home Care’s Fall Interventions
• Assess home for risk factors using the Home Safety Checklist – Pilot Area 45 & 82– Client must be a case managed client who triggered the
falls cap on initial needs assessment (in areas 45 & 82)
– Referral will be initiated for HHA or Therapies to complete the Home Safety Checklist
– Falls diary used to record falls for the year
– Annual needs assessment done
• Educate all Home Care/SWADD staff about Falls
Home Safety Checklist
• Takes approx 10 mins to complete
• Many questions about home environment
• Asterisked questions answered with a “yes” will require referral to OT/PT
• Qualitative question at the back “Is there anything else you would like to say about falling or about your environment?”
Evaluating
• Baseline data collected in area 45 and 82
• Falls diary will be collected every month and analyzed
• Comparison will be made between initial needs assessment and annual follow-up needs assessment
Roles and Responsibilities
• Support a safe environment
• Educate clients and family
• CEAC handout available “What to do if you have a fall”
Questions???
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