An Occupational Therapy Fall Reduction Home Visit Program for Community-Dwelling Older Adults in Hong Kong After an Emergency Department Visit for a Fall

Older Adult and Healthcare Provider Beliefs About Fall Prevention Strategies

Introduction: Older adults reported about 36 million falls in 2018. Although effective strategies are available to address risk factors and minimize fall risk, little is known about older adults' and healthcare providers' awareness of these strategies. This study describes and compares healthcare providers' and older adults' beliefs about fall prevention and strategies. Methods: Demographic and fall-related data for older adults were obtained from the 2019 fall cohort of Porter Novelli ConsumerStyles. Similar data from primary care practitioners, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants were gathered from the 2019 cohort of DocStyles. Results: Most providers (91.3%) and older adults (85.1%) believed falls can be prevented. Both providers and older adults were most likely to consider strength and balance exercises (90.7% and 82.8%, respectively) and making homes safer (90.5% and 79.9%, respectively) as strategies that help prevent falls. More providers reported that managing medications (84.2%) and tai chi (45.7%) can prevent falls compared to older adults (24.0% and 21.7%, respectively; P < .0001). Conclusion: More healthcare providers than older adults indicated evidence-based strategies exist to reduce falls. Increased patient and provider communication can increase awareness about the benefits of evidence-based strategies such as tai chi, strength and balance exercises, and medication management.

Home hazard modification programs for reducing falls in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective

This study aims to assess the effect of home modification in preventing falls in older adults.

Methods

A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized studies were performed. The review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and was registered prospectively. Five electronic databases were systematically searched for related articles. The titles and abstracts of the articles found using the key search phrases-home modification and falling-were screened using inclusion and exclusion criteria. The Cochrane risk of bias tool was used to evaluate the studies' methodology.

Results

A total of 12 trials were included. A meta-analysis was conducted using 10 studies with n = 1, 960 participants showing a clinically meaningful 7% reduction in falls (risk ratio = 0.93; 0.87-1).

Conclusions

Falls can be significantly reduced with the use of home modification interventions that are thorough, well-focused, have an environmental-fit perspective, and have adequate follow-up.

Supporting older people following out of hours discharge from the Emergency Department: An integrative review of the literature

BACKGROUND

For many older people the emergency department (ED) is an important but sometimes difficult step in their healthcare journey. They often attend the ED with co and multi morbidities. Discharge home at evenings and weekends when post-discharge support services are limited can result in a delay or failure to follow through on their discharge plan leading to adverse health outcomes and in some cases, readmission to ED.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this integrative review was to identify and appraise the support available to older people following discharge from the ED out of hours (OOH).

METHODS

For this review, out of hours referred to those times after 17.30 until 08.00 a.m. on Mondays to Fridays, all hours on weekends and public holidays. Whittemore and Knafl's (Journal of Advanced Nursing, 2005;52:546), framework was used to guide all stages of the review process. Articles were retrieved following a rigorous search of published works using various databases, the grey literature and hand search of the reference lists of the studies included.

RESULTS

In total 31 articles were included in the review. These comprised systematic reviews, randomised control studies, cohort studies and surveys. Main themes identified included processes that enable support, support provision by health and social care professionals and telephone follow-up. Results identified a significant dearth of out of hours discharge research and a strong recommendation for more concise and thorough research in this important area of care transition.

CONCLUSION

Older person discharge home from the ED presents an associated risk as previous research has identified frequent readmission and periods of ill health and dependency. Out of hours discharge can be even more problematic when it may be difficult to arrange support services and ensure continuity of care. Further work in this area is required, taking cognisance of the findings and recommendations identified in this review.

Barriers and facilitating factors influencing implementation of occupational therapy home assessment recommendations: A mixed methods systematic review

INTRODUCTION

Low implementation rates of occupational therapy home assessment recommendations have previously been reported. The objective was to identify and describe the barriers and facilitating factors that influence implementation of home assessment recommendations.

METHODS

A mixed methods systematic review consisting of studies involving adults living in the community who received an occupational therapy home assessment was conducted. Seven databases were last searched in August 2021. Study quality was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal tools (SUMARI) dependent on study design. Data synthesis followed the convergent integrated approach. Findings were mapped to the theoretical Capability Opportunity Motivation Behaviour (COM-B) model of health behaviour change.

RESULTS

From 5,540 citations, 22 articles met the criteria for the systematic review. Implementation of occupational therapy home assessment recommendations ranged between 55% and 90%. Six synthesised findings were identified. Capability barriers included a patient's cognitive and physical ability. Motivation barriers included a perceived lack of need and stigma; patient reported decreased involvement and lack of choice. Opportunity barriers included limited family or carer involvement, carer stress, level of service provision available, including funding, therapy dosage and timing and environmental restrictions. Overall facilitators included patient-centred care, including choice and understanding need, individualised tailored recommendations, involvement of families and carers, provision of written record and strategies to support implementation. Results were limited by methodological weaknesses in identified studies and heterogeneity in the definition and measurement of implementation impacting on comparison. Specific intervention components were often poorly described.

CONCLUSION

The theoretical model elucidates priority factors to address for promoting implementation of home assessment recommendations. Future high-quality research clearly defining intervention components is required to support short- and long-term implementation of recommendations in the home environment. Behaviour change techniques could be utilised to support home assessment practices in future research.

World guidelines for falls prevention and management for older adults: a global initiative

BACKGROUND

falls and fall-related injuries are common in older adults, have negative effects on functional independence and quality of life and are associated with increased morbidity, mortality and health related costs. Current guidelines are inconsistent, with no up-to-date, globally applicable ones present.

OBJECTIVES

to create a set of evidence- and expert consensus-based falls prevention and management recommendations applicable to older adults for use by healthcare and other professionals that consider: (i) a person-centred approach that includes the perspectives of older adults with lived experience, caregivers and other stakeholders; (ii) gaps in previous guidelines; (iii) recent developments in e-health and (iv) implementation across locations with limited access to resources such as low- and middle-income countries.

METHODS

a steering committee and a worldwide multidisciplinary group of experts and stakeholders, including older adults, were assembled. Geriatrics and gerontological societies were represented. Using a modified Delphi process, recommendations from 11 topic-specific working groups (WGs), 10 ad-hoc WGs and a WG dealing with the perspectives of older adults were reviewed and refined. The final recommendations were determined by voting.

RECOMMENDATIONS

all older adults should be advised on falls prevention and physical activity. Opportunistic case finding for falls risk is recommended for community-dwelling older adults. Those considered at high risk should be offered a comprehensive multifactorial falls risk assessment with a view to co-design and implement personalised multidomain interventions. Other recommendations cover details of assessment and intervention components and combinations, and recommendations for specific settings and populations.

CONCLUSIONS

the core set of recommendations provided will require flexible implementation strategies that consider both local context and resources.

Post-hospital falls incidence and risk factors among older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Post-hospital falls constitute a significant health concern for older adults who have been recently discharged from the hospital.

OBJECTIVES

To systematically summarise existing evidence on the incidence and risk factors for post-hospital falls among older adults.

METHODS

A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted. Six electronic databases were searched to identify cohort studies investigating the incidence and risk factors for post-hospital falls in older adults. The incidence and risk factors for post-hospital falls were extracted. The meta-analysis was used to calculate pooled incidences and 95% confidence intervals (CI). The meta-regression and subgroup meta-analysis were conducted to explore sources of heterogeneity in incidence proportions across the eligible studies. A qualitative synthesis was performed for the post-hospital falls risk factors.

RESULTS

Eighteen studies from eight countries (n = 9,080,568) were included. The pooled incidence proportion of any and recurrent post-hospital falls was 14% (95% CI: 13%-15%) and 10% (95% CI: 5%-14%), respectively. Follow-up period, study quality, study country, setting, percentage of female subjects, percentage of subjects with previous falls and the primary data collection method for falls significantly contributed to the 64.8% of the heterogeneity in incidence proportions. Twenty-six risk factors for post-hospital falls were identified in the eligible studies, where biological factors were the most commonly identified factors. The highest risks were reported for previous falls, previous fractures, delirium and neurological diseases.

CONCLUSION

The findings of this study suggested future post-hospital falls prevention should prioritise the needs of older adults with the dominant risk factors. Further investigations into the period-specific incidence and socioeconomic and environmental risk factors for post-hospital falls are also required.

Occupational Therapy and the IMPACT Act: Part 1. A Systematic Review of Evidence for Fall Prevention and Reduction, Community Discharge and Reintegration, and Readmission Prevention Interventions

IMPORTANCE

Interventions that prevent falls, facilitate discharge after hospitalization, and reduce hospital readmissions assist occupational therapy practitioners in demonstrating professional value, improving quality, and reducing costs.

OBJECTIVE

In this systematic review, we address three outcome areas of the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation (IMPACT) Act of 2014: prevention and reduction of falls, facilitation of community discharge and reintegration, and prevention of hospital readmission.

DATA SOURCES

We conducted a search of the literature published between 2009 and 2019. Study Selection and Data Collection: We developed operational definitions to help us identify articles that answered the search question for each outcome area. This study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines.

FINDINGS

We found 53 articles that address the three outcome areas. Regarding the prevention and reduction of falls, low strength of evidence is available for interventions focusing on a single fall risk and for customized interventions addressing multiple risks. Moderate strength of evidence supports structured community fall risk prevention interventions. Low strength of evidence was found for community discharge and reintegration interventions that include physical activity and educational programming. Low to moderate strength of evidence was found for readmission prevention interventions for patients with four types of condition. Conclusion and Relevance: Several intervention themes in the three outcome areas of interest are supported by few studies or by studies with a moderate risk of bias. Additional research is needed that supports the value of occupational therapy interventions in these outcome areas. What This Article Adds: Our study provides important insights into the state of the evidence related to occupational therapy interventions to address three outcome areas of the IMPACT Act.

Occupational Therapy and the IMPACT Act: Part 1. A Systematic Review of Evidence for Fall Prevention and Reduction, Community Discharge and Reintegration, and Readmission Prevention Interventions

IMPORTANCE

Interventions that prevent falls, facilitate discharge after hospitalization, and reduce hospital readmissions assist occupational therapy practitioners in demonstrating professional value, improving quality, and reducing costs.

OBJECTIVE

In this systematic review, we address three outcome areas of the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation (IMPACT) Act of 2014: prevention and reduction of falls, facilitation of community discharge and reintegration, and prevention of hospital readmission.

DATA SOURCES

We conducted a search of the literature published between 2009 and 2019. Study Selection and Data Collection: We developed operational definitions to help us identify articles that answered the search question for each outcome area. This study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines.

FINDINGS

We found 53 articles that address the three outcome areas. Regarding the prevention and reduction of falls, low strength of evidence is available for interventions focusing on a single fall risk and for customized interventions addressing multiple risks. Moderate strength of evidence supports structured community fall risk prevention interventions. Low strength of evidence was found for community discharge and reintegration interventions that include physical activity and educational programming. Low to moderate strength of evidence was found for readmission prevention interventions for patients with four types of condition. Conclusion and Relevance: Several intervention themes in the three outcome areas of interest are supported by few studies or by studies with a moderate risk of bias. Additional research is needed that supports the value of occupational therapy interventions in these outcome areas. What This Article Adds: Our study provides important insights into the state of the evidence related to occupational therapy interventions to address three outcome areas of the IMPACT Act.

Moving the needle on fall prevention: A Geriatric Emergency Care Applied Research (GEAR) Network scoping review and consensus statement

BACKGROUND

Although falls are common, costly, and often preventable, emergency department (ED)-initiated fall screening and prevention efforts are rare. The Geriatric Emergency Medicine Applied Research Falls core (GEAR-Falls) was created to identify existing research gaps and to prioritize future fall research foci.

METHODS

GEAR's 49 transdisciplinary stakeholders included patients, geriatricians, ED physicians, epidemiologists, health services researchers, and nursing scientists. We derived relevant clinical fall ED questions and summarized the applicable research evidence, adhering to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses for Scoping Reviews. The highest-priority research foci were identified at the GEAR Consensus Conference.

RESULTS

We identified two clinical questions for our review (1) fall prevention interventions (32 studies) and (2) risk stratification and falls care plan (19 studies). For (1) 21 of 32 (66%) of interventions were a falls risk screening assessment and 15 of 21 (71%) of these were combined with an exercise program or physical therapy. For (2) 11 fall screening tools were identified, but none were feasible and sufficiently accurate for ED patients. For both questions, the most frequently reported study outcome was recurrent falls, but various process and patient/clinician-centered outcomes were used. Outcome ascertainment relied on self-reported falls in 18 of 32 (56%) studies for (1) and nine of 19 (47%) studies for (2).

CONCLUSION

Harmonizing definitions, research methods, and outcomes is needed for direct comparison of studies. The need to identify ED-appropriate fall risk assessment tools and role of emergency medical services (EMS) personnel persists. Multifactorial interventions, especially involving exercise, are more efficacious in reducing recurrent falls, but more studies are needed to compare appropriate bundle combinations. GEAR prioritizes five research priorities: (1) EMS role in improving fall-related outcomes, (2) identifying optimal ED fall assessment tools, (3) clarifying patient-prioritized fall interventions and outcomes, (4) standardizing uniform fall ascertainment and measured outcomes, and (5) exploring ideal intervention components.

Interventions for the discharge of older people to their home from the emergency department: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Clinicians have limited evidence on which to base their practice to effectively discharge older people from emergency. The aim of the review was to assess the effectiveness of interventions used for the discharge of older people from the emergency department to their home in the community by emergency clinicians.

METHODS

The PRISMA guidelines were followed. The search comprised seven databases including CINAHL Complete, Medline and EMBASE, and additionally unpublished literature sources including trial registries and theses databases. The results were presented for three outcomes: mortality; emergency department representation after the index visit; and physical function. A narrative analysis was performed.

RESULTS

Twenty-five studies met the inclusion criteria; 13 RCTs and 12 quasi-experimental. Risk of bias was moderate to high. There was a trend towards reduced probability of representing to the emergency department within 3 months of the index visit for individualised focussed elder discharge health interventions. Results were equivocal for other outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Greater clarity and consensus is needed to determine the most appropriate discharge measures, screening tools, information sources and discharge roles for the emergency setting. Rigorous multicentre trials to improve the evidence on which to base this aspect of emergency care are required.

Providing fall prevention services in the emergency department: Is it effective? A systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To assess the effects of fall prevention services initiated in the emergency department (ED) to support patients after discharge.

METHODS

A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted. Analysis of pooled data used random-effects modelling with results presented as a risk ratio (RR).

RESULTS

Eleven studies were identified (n = 4,018). The proportion of older adults who fell did not differ between the intervention and control groups (RR 0.93; 95% CI, 0.82-1.06, I² 68%, P = 0.28). There was a significant (P = 0.01) reduction in the monthly rate of falling (RR 0.69; 95% CI, 0.52-0.91, I² 93%), fall-related injuries (RR 0.72; 95% CI, 0.59-0.88, I² 0%, P = 0.001), and hospital admissions (RR 0.76; 95% CI, 0.64-0.90, I² 0%, P = 0.002).

CONCLUSIONS

ED fall prevention services did not significantly reduce the proportion of older adults who had future falls. However, multifactorial intervention significantly reduced fall-related injuries and hospital admissions with low heterogeneity.

Effectiveness of the fall prevention intervention in older adults with arterial hypertension: randomized clinical trial

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effectiveness of the nursing intervention Fall Prevention in reducing falls in older adults with arterial hypertension.

METHODS

Pilot clinical trial, with 118 participants with arterial hypertension from a city in the Northeast of Brazil. Participants were allocated by simple randomization into two groups: intervention (n = 58) and control (n = 60). The intervention was carried out at the participants' homes and consisted of guidelines for modifying environmental and behavioral risk factors for falls. A protocol with nursing activities associated with the Fall Prevention intervention proposed in the Nursing Interventions Classification (NIC) taxonomy was used. The outcome was the self-reported occurrence of falls.

RESULTS

There was a significant difference between the groups in the frequency of self-reported falls (p=0.38) with fewer falls occurring in the intervention group. Sixteen participants fell, of which 5.1% attributed the fall to difficulty walking, 6.8% fell in the living room, 3.4% had a sprain, and 6.8% reported to be afraid to fall again.

CONCLUSION

The nursing intervention Fall Prevention was effective in reducing the occurrence of falls in older adults with arterial hypertension. These findings contribute to the advancement of clinical protocols for the prevention of falls in older adults, as the educational intervention investigated is applicable to different sociodemographic and cultural scenarios.

The U-Shaped Relationship Between Levels of Bouted Activity and Fall Incidence in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Prospective Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

It remains uncertain whether the association between physical activity (PA) and falls is U-shaped, and few studies have explored the potential mediation of PA accumulation pattern.

METHODS

We measured PA in 671 community-dwelling older adults (82.7 ± 3.8 years) using wrist-worn accelerometer for 7 days. PA was further classified to bouted PA (≥10 minutes bout length) and sporadic PA (<10 minutes bout length) for subanalysis. Fall incidence in the following 12-month was recorded through tri-monthly telephone interviews. Classification and Regression Tree analysis was used to identify two optimal cutoff values of each PA measurement to predict falls. Participants were then divided into "inactive," "moderately active," and "highly active" groups accordingly. Negative binomial regression models were used to estimate the association between the PA measures and fall incidence.

RESULTS

Six hundred and thirty-nine participants completed 12-month follow-up. Ninety-three (14.6%) experienced a total of 118 falls. Inactive and highly active older adults had higher falls per person month relative to the moderately active group (inactive: incidence rate ratios [IRR] = 2.372, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.317-4.271; highly active: IRR = 2.731, 95% CI = 1.196-6.232). Subanalyses found similar significant finding with bouted PA (p < .001) but not sporadic PA (p ≥ .221). The association between bouted PA and falls remained significant even after adjusting fall incidence for bouted activity time (inactive: IRR = 3.636, 95% CI = 2.238-5.907; highly active: IRR = 1.823, 95% CI = 1.072-3.1). Further adjustments for fall-related risk factors did not meaningfully change the results.

CONCLUSION

A U-shaped relationship was identified between bouted but not sporadic PA and fall incidence. There is an approximately twofold increase in fall rate in highly active older adults even after adjusting for activity time.

Home visits by occupational therapists in acute hospital care: a systematic review

The aim of this review was to determine the utility of home visits by occupational therapists before and after a patient is discharged from an acute care hospital. All relevant published studies were identified by searching the CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Occupational Therapy Systematic Evaluation of Evidence, and WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform databases. Randomized controlled trials were included regardless of sex, age, disease, and duration of acute hospitalization. The intervention was predischarge and postdischarge home visits made by an occupational therapist. The primary outcome was the ability to perform activities of daily living at 1 month after the intervention. We identified eight trials (including 1029 patients) that were eligible for inclusion. More than half of the trials had a low risk of bias in random sequence generation, and allocation concealment and the other half had a high risk of bias with regard to blinding of participants. However, the risk of bias in terms of blinding for outcomes assessment was low in more than half the studies. We found that home visits by an occupational therapist in a single study significantly reduced the prevalence of falls but had no significant effects on ability to perform activities of daily living, quality of life, or mood. We could not find adequate evidence to support routine home visits by an occupational therapist in the acute care. In the future, studies with larger sample sizes are needed to validate home visits by occupational therapists in patients after acute care hospitalization.

A mixed methods process evaluation of a person-centred falls prevention program

Background

RESPOND is a telephone-based falls prevention program for older people who present to a hospital emergency department (ED) with a fall. A randomised controlled trial (RCT) found RESPOND to be effective at reducing the rate of falls and fractures, compared with usual care, but not fall injuries or hospitalisations. This process evaluation aimed to determine whether RESPOND was implemented as planned, and identify implementation barriers and facilitators.

Methods

A mixed-methods evaluation was conducted alongside the RCT. Evaluation participants were the RESPOND intervention group (n = 263) and the clinicians delivering RESPOND (n = 7). Evaluation data were collected from participant recruitment and intervention records, hospital administrative records, audio-recordings of intervention sessions, and participant questionnaires. The Rochester Participatory Decision-Making Scale (RPAD) was used to evaluate person-centredness (score range 0 (worst) - 9 (best)). Process factors were compared with pre-specified criteria to determine implementation fidelity. Six focus groups were held with participants (n = 41), and interviews were conducted with RESPOND clinicians (n = 6). Quantitative data were analysed descriptively and qualitative data thematically. Barriers and facilitators to implementation were mapped to the ‘Capability, Opportunity, Motivation – Behaviour’ (COM-B) behaviour change framework.

Results

RESPOND was implemented at a lower dose than the planned 10 h over 6 months, with a median (IQR) of 2.9 h (2.1, 4). The majority (76%) of participants received their first intervention session within 1 month of hospital discharge with a median (IQR) of 18 (12, 30) days. Clinicians delivered the program in a person-centred manner with a median (IQR) RPAD score of 7 (6.5, 7.5) and 87% of questionnaire respondents were satisfied with the program. The reports from participants and clinicians suggested that implementation was facilitated by the use of positive and personally relevant health messages. Complex health and social issues were the main barriers to implementation.

Conclusions

RESPOND was person-centred and reduced falls and fractures at a substantially lower dose, using fewer resources, than anticipated. However, the low dose delivered may account for the lack of effect on falls injuries and hospitalisations. The results from this evaluation provide detailed information to guide future implementation of RESPOND or similar programs.

Trial registration

This study was registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, number ACTRN12614000336684 (27 March 2014).

Multifactorial falls prevention programmes for older adults presenting to the emergency department with a fall: systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective

To determine whether multifactorial falls prevention interventions are effective in preventing falls, fall injuries, emergency department (ED) re-presentations and hospital admissions in older adults presenting to the ED with a fall.

Design

Systematic review and meta-analyses of randomised controlled trials (RCTs).

Data sources

Four health-related electronic databases (Ovid MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, PEDro and The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials) were searched (inception to June 2018).

Study selection

RCTs of multifactorial falls prevention interventions targeting community-dwelling older adults ( ≥ 60 years) presenting to the ED with a fall with quantitative data on at least one review outcome.

Data extraction

Two independent reviewers determined inclusion, assessed study quality and undertook data extraction, discrepancies resolved by a third.

Data synthesis

12 studies involving 3986 participants, from six countries, were eligible for inclusion. Studies were of variable methodological quality. Multifactorial interventions were heterogeneous, though the majority included education, referral to healthcare services, home modifications, exercise and medication changes. Meta-analyses demonstrated no reduction in falls (rate ratio = 0.78; 95% CI: 0.58 to 1.05), number of fallers (risk ratio = 1.02; 95% CI: 0.88 to 1.18), rate of fractured neck of femur (risk ratio = 0.82; 95% CI: 0.53 to 1.25), fall-related ED presentations (rate ratio = 0.99; 95% CI: 0.84 to 1.16) or hospitalisations (rate ratio = 1.14; 95% CI: 0.69 to 1.89) with multifactorial falls prevention programmes.

Conclusions

There is insufficient evidence to support the use of multifactorial interventions to prevent falls or hospital utilisation in older people presenting to ED following a fall. Further research targeting this population group is required.

Evaluation of RESPOND, a patient-centred program to prevent falls in older people presenting to the emergency department with a fall: A randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Falls are a leading reason for older people presenting to the emergency department (ED), and many experience further falls. Little evidence exists to guide secondary prevention in this population. This randomised controlled trial (RCT) investigated whether a 6-month telephone-based patient-centred program-RESPOND-had an effect on falls and fall injuries in older people presenting to the ED after a fall.

METHODS AND FINDINGS

Community-dwelling people aged 60-90 years presenting to the ED with a fall and planned for discharge home within 72 hours were recruited from two EDs in Australia. Participants were enrolled if they could walk without hands-on assistance, use a telephone, and were free of cognitive impairment (Mini-Mental State Examination > 23). Recruitment occurred between 1 April 2014 and 29 June 2015. Participants were randomised to receive either RESPOND (intervention) or usual care (control). RESPOND comprised (1) home-based risk assessment; (2) 6 months telephone-based education, coaching, goal setting, and support for evidence-based risk factor management; and (3) linkages to existing services. Primary outcomes were falls and fall injuries in the 12-month follow-up. Secondary outcomes included ED presentations, hospital admissions, fractures, death, falls risk, falls efficacy, and quality of life. Assessors blind to group allocation collected outcome data via postal calendars, telephone follow-up, and hospital records. There were 430 people in the primary outcome analysis-217 randomised to RESPOND and 213 to control. The mean age of participants was 73 years; 55% were female. Falls per person-year were 1.15 in the RESPOND group and 1.83 in the control (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 0.65 [95% CI 0.43-0.99]; P = 0.042). There was no significant difference in fall injuries (IRR 0.81 [0.51-1.29]; P = 0.374). The rate of fractures was significantly lower in the RESPOND group compared with the control (0.05 versus 0.12; IRR 0.37 [95% CI 0.15-0.91]; P = 0.03), but there were no significant differences in other secondary outcomes between groups: ED presentations, hospitalisations or falls risk, falls efficacy, and quality of life. There were two deaths in the RESPOND group and one in the control group. No adverse events or unintended harm were reported. Limitations of this study were the high number of dropouts (n = 93); possible underreporting of falls, fall injuries, and hospitalisations across both groups; and the relatively small number of fracture events.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, providing a telephone-based, patient-centred falls prevention program reduced falls but not fall injuries, in older people presenting to the ED with a fall. Among secondary outcomes, only fractures reduced. Adopting patient-centred strategies into routine clinical practice for falls prevention could offer an opportunity to improve outcomes and reduce falls in patients attending the ED.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12614000336684).

Influence of functional, psychological, and environmental factors on falls among community-dwelling older adults in Hong Kong

AIM

The growth of the ageing population has been rapid. However, this ageing population is not homogeneous; individuals have different levels of functionality and psychosocial status, and some are members of at-risk or high-risk groups. As such, studies on the functional, psychological, and environmental factors of falls among community-dwelling older adults are imperative. By investigating the effect of life satisfaction, as well as environmental and functional factors, on falls among community-dwelling older adults in Hong Kong, this study aims to address this concern.

METHODS

The study recruited 249 participants. Both self-reported questionnaires and home safety assessments were administrated.

RESULTS

Logistic regression analysis showed that life satisfaction and instrumental activities of daily living were significant predictors of falls. Significant differences between fallers and non-fallers were found in functional and psychological areas. The presence of home hazards was low and not associated with falls in this population. However, this variable was negatively associated with life satisfaction and predicted by one of its domains, satisfaction of possession.

CONCLUSION

These results can help health-care and social service providers to identify the needs and types of support required for effective fall prevention and to better tailor and target community intervention for older adults.

Predischarge home visits after hip fracture: a randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVE:

The objective of this study is to investigate whether home assessment visits prior to hospital discharge for patients recovering from hip fracture reduce falls and prevent hospital readmissions, within the first 30 days and six months after discharge home.

DESIGN:

A randomized controlled trial was conducted.

SETTING:

The study setting included hospital wards and the community.

PARTICIPANTS:

The study included adults 50 years and over recovering from hip fracture ( n = 77).

INTERVENTION:

Both groups received inpatient rehabilitation and hospital-based discharge planning. In addition, the intervention group received a home assessment visit by an occupational therapist prior to discharge from hospital.

MAIN MEASURES:

Primary outcomes were falls and hospital readmissions. Secondary outcome measures included Functional Independence Measure, Functional Autonomy Measurement Scale, Nottingham Extended Activities of Daily Living Scale, EuroQol five dimension scale questionnaire and Falls Efficacy Scale-International.

RESULTS:

The intervention group had fewer hospital readmissions in the first 30 days compared to the control group (intervention n = 1, control n = 10; odds ratio (OR) 12.9, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.5 to 99.2). The intervention group was observed to have fewer falls than controls in the 30 days after discharge (intervention n = 6, control n = 14; incidence rate ratio (IRR) = 0.41, 95% CI 0.15 to 1.11). Between-group differences favoured the intervention group for functional independence at six months (11.2 units, 95% CI 4.2 to 18.2). There were no other between-group differences.

CONCLUSION:

Home assessment visits by occupational therapists prior to hospital discharge for patients recovering from hip fracture reduced the number of readmissions to hospital, increased functional independence at six months and may have reduced the risk of falls in the first 30 days after discharge.

Multifactorial and multiple component interventions for preventing falls in older people living in the community

BACKGROUND

Falls and fall-related injuries are common, particularly in those aged over 65, with around one-third of older people living in the community falling at least once a year. Falls prevention interventions may comprise single component interventions (e.g. exercise), or involve combinations of two or more different types of intervention (e.g. exercise and medication review). Their delivery can broadly be divided into two main groups: 1) multifactorial interventions where component interventions differ based on individual assessment of risk; or 2) multiple component interventions where the same component interventions are provided to all people.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the effects (benefits and harms) of multifactorial interventions and multiple component interventions for preventing falls in older people living in the community.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched the Cochrane Bone, Joint and Muscle Trauma Group Specialised Register, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, Embase, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, trial registers and reference lists. Date of search: 12 June 2017.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Randomised controlled trials, individual or cluster, that evaluated the effects of multifactorial and multiple component interventions on falls in older people living in the community, compared with control (i.e. usual care (no change in usual activities) or attention control (social visits)) or exercise as a single intervention.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two review authors independently selected studies, assessed risks of bias and extracted data. We calculated the rate ratio (RaR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for rate of falls. For dichotomous outcomes we used risk ratios (RRs) and 95% CIs. For continuous outcomes, we used the standardised mean difference (SMD) with 95% CIs. We pooled data using the random-effects model. We used the GRADE approach to assess the quality of the evidence.

MAIN RESULTS

We included 62 trials involving 19,935 older people living in the community. The median trial size was 248 participants. Most trials included more women than men. The mean ages in trials ranged from 62 to 85 years (median 77 years). Most trials (43 trials) reported follow-up of 12 months or over. We assessed most trials at unclear or high risk of bias in one or more domains.Forty-four trials assessed multifactorial interventions and 18 assessed multiple component interventions. (I² not reported if = 0%).Multifactorial interventions versus usual care or attention controlThis comparison was made in 43 trials. Commonly-applied or recommended interventions after assessment of each participant's risk profile were exercise, environment or assistive technologies, medication review and psychological interventions. Multifactorial interventions may reduce the rate of falls compared with control: rate ratio (RaR) 0.77, 95% CI 0.67 to 0.87; 19 trials; 5853 participants; I² = 88%; low-quality evidence. Thus if 1000 people were followed over one year, the number of falls may be 1784 (95% CI 1553 to 2016) after multifactorial intervention versus 2317 after usual care or attention control. There was low-quality evidence of little or no difference in the risks of: falling (i.e. people sustaining one or more fall) (RR 0.96, 95% CI 0.90 to 1.03; 29 trials; 9637 participants; I² = 60%); recurrent falls (RR 0.87, 95% CI 0.74 to 1.03; 12 trials; 3368 participants; I² = 53%); fall-related hospital admission (RR 1.00, 95% CI 0.92 to 1.07; 15 trials; 5227 participants); requiring medical attention (RR 0.91, 95% CI 0.75 to 1.10; 8 trials; 3078 participants). There is low-quality evidence that multifactorial interventions may reduce the risk of fall-related fractures (RR 0.73, 95% CI 0.53 to 1.01; 9 trials; 2850 participants) and may slightly improve health-related quality of life but not noticeably (SMD 0.19, 95% CI 0.03 to 0.35; 9 trials; 2373 participants; I² = 70%). Of three trials reporting on adverse events, one found none, and two reported 12 participants with self-limiting musculoskeletal symptoms in total.Multifactorial interventions versus exerciseVery low-quality evidence from one small trial of 51 recently-discharged orthopaedic patients means that we are uncertain of the effects on rate of falls or risk of falling of multifactorial interventions versus exercise alone. Other fall-related outcomes were not assessed.Multiple component interventions versus usual care or attention controlThe 17 trials that make this comparison usually included exercise and another component, commonly education or home-hazard assessment. There is moderate-quality evidence that multiple interventions probably reduce the rate of falls (RaR 0.74, 95% CI 0.60 to 0.91; 6 trials; 1085 participants; I² = 45%) and risk of falls (RR 0.82, 95% CI 0.74 to 0.90; 11 trials; 1980 participants). There is low-quality evidence that multiple interventions may reduce the risk of recurrent falls, although a small increase cannot be ruled out (RR 0.81, 95% CI 0.63 to 1.05; 4 trials; 662 participants). Very low-quality evidence means that we are uncertain of the effects of multiple component interventions on the risk of fall-related fractures (2 trials) or fall-related hospital admission (1 trial). There is low-quality evidence that multiple interventions may have little or no effect on the risk of requiring medical attention (RR 0.95, 95% CI 0.67 to 1.35; 1 trial; 291 participants); conversely they may slightly improve health-related quality of life (SMD 0.77, 95% CI 0.16 to 1.39; 4 trials; 391 participants; I² = 88%). Of seven trials reporting on adverse events, five found none, and six minor adverse events were reported in two.Multiple component interventions versus exerciseThis comparison was tested in five trials. There is low-quality evidence of little or no difference between the two interventions in rate of falls (1 trial) and risk of falling (RR 0.93, 95% CI 0.78 to 1.10; 3 trials; 863 participants) and very low-quality evidence, meaning we are uncertain of the effects on hospital admission (1 trial). One trial reported two cases of minor joint pain. Other falls outcomes were not reported.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

Multifactorial interventions may reduce the rate of falls compared with usual care or attention control. However, there may be little or no effect on other fall-related outcomes. Multiple component interventions, usually including exercise, may reduce the rate of falls and risk of falling compared with usual care or attention control.