Updating the evidence and sharing the successes – Fall Prevention in NSW

Earlier this month experts from overseas, Australia and NSW Health Services shared successful fall prevention initiatives, clinical evidence discussions, and future directions at the 2024 annual NSW Fall Prevention and Healthy Ageing Network forum.

The NSW Fall Prevention and Healthy Ageing Network, is led by Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA) with funding from the Clinical Excellence Commission (CEC). It works closely with researchers, policy makers, health practitioners and community service providers in the development and promotion of healthy ageing services and programs with a focus on preventing falls and fall-related injury.

“Today we have interventions that we know can reduce falls by around 30 per cent,” said Professor Jacqueline Close AM, consultant geriatrician, Clinical Director of the Falls, Balance and Injury Research Centre at NeuRA who provided the opening address.

The international fall prevention expert said considerable progress had been made in understanding falls, which is the key to preventing them.

“How can we take the next step and prevent at least 50 per cent of falls?

“New body sensors have given insights into the minutes and seconds before a fall,” she said, highlighting the use of technology for understanding the reasons why people fall.

Professor Sally Lamb, Department of Public Health and Sports Science, Exeter Medical School, University of Exeter spoke about using technology in her research to understand the interaction between balance, instability, and falls.  Her work is a major advance in neuroscience, using interdisciplinary science to help prevent falls.

Dr Sandra Iuliano, Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne showed how increasing protein in meals for aged care residents reduced fractures of all types by 33 per cent, and hip fractures by 46 per cent. Calculations showed the program more than paid for itself through avoiding costs associated with treating fractures.

There were three concurrent sessions in the afternoon from hospital, community and residential aged care with presenters from local health districts. All of the presentations were filmed and will be available on the NSW Fall Prevention and Healthy Ageing Network.

Access the CEC’s fall prevention resources and Fall Prevention in NSW white paper.

Plenary speakers at the 2024 NSW Fall Prevention & Healthy Ageing Network Annual Forum.