Falls prevention: health professionals
Health professionals can implement evidence-informed interventions to help older adults and their families and caregivers identify and address behavioural risk factors and home hazards.
Addressing falls prevention in Ontario would have a positive impact on the health care system by reducing:
- avoidable visits to the emergency department
- hospitalizations
- alternate level of care volumes
- admissions to long-term care homes
As a health professional, you play an instrumental role in falls prevention. Learn more about the Stay on Your Feet strategy, training opportunities, and programs.
Useful resources:
- In Northeastern Ontario, Ontario Health, the five public health units, and many other community partners work together to plan and implement the Stay on Your Feet strategy, which promotes ways for older adults to be strong, active, and social. The collective goal is to prevent falls among older adults aged 65 years and older.
- The Clinical Best Practice Guidelines: Preventing Falls and Reducing Injury from Falls (Registered Nurses Association of Ontario) is an evidence-based tool that outlines multiple strategies and interventions to reduce or mitigate falls and falls-related injuries.
- The Centre for Effective Practice’s Fall Prevention and Management tool is designed as a reference to support family physicians, primary care nurse practitioners and other interprofessional team members to prevent and manage falls among people aged 65 and older living in the community.
- Join the Fall Prevention Community of Practice LOOP (Parachute Canada), which brings together health professionals, caregivers, researchers, and other key sectors to build capacity in the field of falls prevention.
This item was last modified on April 10, 2024