Canterbury continues to focus on reducing falls

April 21, 2016

Canterbury continues to focus on reducing falls, and harm from falls

Canterbury is at the forefront of successful falls prevention initiatives that are dramatically reducing the number of falls in the community, but the figures are still sobering.

Each April, New Zealand’s DHBs, including Canterbury, get behind the Health Quality and Safety Commission’s April Falls awareness campaign, now well underway. It promotes strategies proven to reduce falls and the harm they cause.

Dr Richard French, Canterbury DHB’s Acting Chief Medical Officer, says we have introduced a number of initiatives aimed at reducing falls and their consequences in Canterbury but shouldn’t become complacent.

“One fall is one too many” Dr French says.

Between July 1, 2015 and the end of February this year, there were 1,554 reported falls in Canterbury DHB hospitals.

“Tragically 398 of those 1,554 falls resulted in an injury, 15 of which were serious.”

Dr French says falls in hospital can have a catastrophic effect on the frail older folk who are mostly at risk,

“People aged over 65, those with a history of falling, people who are confused or disoriented, people taking certain types of medications, or who are physically weak are particularly at risk,” he says.

Preventing falls depends on accurate patient assessments and working with the patient and their families to develop individualised strategies to keep each patient safe - including for when they leave hospital.

“Each time there is a fall, we review how it happened in order to learn what we can do better,” Dr French says.

Ken Stewart, Canterbury DHB Clinical Lead for Falls Prevention and deputy chair of Canterbury Clinical Network, says everyone knows someone at risk of falling, whether they are an elderly relative, a neighbour or a friend.

“With our aging population, falls at home and in our communities are a very real issue. Preventing them is everyone’s responsibility,” Mr Stewart says.

“From this April on, why not do something positive for your community and encourage an elderly relative, neighbour or friend who may be at risk to talk to their family doctor. Your encouragement could literally be a lifesaver.”
He says Canterbury’s effective community falls prevention programme brings together General Practice Teams, physiotherapists, pharmacists and other primary care providers with a falls prevention champion.

“A falls champion will then work with people identified as a falls risk to develop an individualised exercise and home safety programme to improve strength, balance and confidence so that participants can remain safely independent, in their own home for longer,” Mr Stewart says.

“People can also do their bit to reduce the chances that someone they know will fall and hurt themselves by encouraging them to talk to their General Practice team community pharmacist, physiotherapist or optometrist about prevention strategies.”

Here are a few ‘self-help’ tips that could make all the difference:

· Stay active. Consider starting a recommended exercise programme to improve strength and balance.
· Make your home safer – keep floors clutter free, fix down carpets, tidy power cords and switch the light on if it’s gloomy
· Push with your legs and steady with your arms when standing up from a sitting position.

ENDS

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