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Fifty percent of residents in aged care facilities experience one or more falls in a 12 month period. For people aged 85 years or over, 20% of fall related deaths occur in residential aged care facilities. Over sixty percent of fall-related adverse events are preventable. One key message prevails: multi-faceted, multi-professional approaches are best. Successful residential aged care trials have both taken a multi-facetted approach as well as individualized assessments and interventions for residents. Falls are a risk for both individuals and organisations; therefore fall-prevention programs must address both of these aspects concurrently. A team approach is required to effectively implement a fall-prevention program within a facility. In line with Best Practice principles, recently reinforced by the Safety and Quality Council in their 2005 publication "Preventing Falls and Harms From Falls in Older People”, all Physiotherapy services can be easily integrated with Podiatry and Eyecare into the S.A.F.E. Program. More than just a falls management program, SAFE aims to enhance the quality of life of all elderly people by keeping them both stable and as functional as their condition allows. By keeping abreast of Best Practice, integrating new information and the services of CliniCall’s experienced consultant health professionals, the programme has seen significant reduction in falls and improvement in function of residents in the facilities in which it has been implemented. Phsyiotherapy Eye, Hand and Foot Co-ordination Eyecare Visual Impairment Podiatry Appropriate Footwear |