A protocol for an individualised, facilitated and sustainable approach to implementing current evidence in preventing falls in residential aged care facilities

February 2010

Abstract

Background
             

Falls are common adverse events in
residential care facilities. Commonly reported figures indicate that at
least 50% of residents fall in a 12 month period, and that this figure
is substantially higher for residents with dementia. This paper reports
the protocol of a project which aims to implement evidence based falls
prevention strategies in nine residential aged care facilities (RACFs)
in Australia. The facilities in the study include high and low care,
small and large facilities, metropolitan and regional, facilities with a
specific cultural focus, and target groups recognised as being more
challenging to successful implementation of falls prevention practice
(e.g. residents with dementia).

Methods
             

The project will be conducted from
November 2007-November 2009. The project will involve baseline scoping
of existing falls rates and falls prevention activities in each
facility, an action research process, interactive falls prevention
training, individual falls risk assessments, provision of equipment and
modifications, organisation based steering committees, and an economic
evaluation. In each RACF, staff will be invited to join an action
research group that will lead the process of developing and implementing
interventions designed to facilitate an evidence based approach to
falls management in their facility. In all RACFs a pre/post design will
be adopted with a range of standardised measures utilised to determine
the impact of the interventions.

Discussion
               

The care gap in residential aged care
that will be addressed through this project relates to the challenges in
implementing best practice falls prevention actions despite the
availability of best practice guidelines. There are numerous factors
that may limit the uptake of best practice falls prevention guidelines
in residential aged care facilities. A multi-factorial individualised
(to the specific requirements of each facility) approach will be used to
develop and implement an action plan in each participating facility
based on the best available evidence.