MGH Guides: Fall Prevention: Fall Prevention

Fall Prevention

Fall prevention measures can reduce the risk of falls to older adults, in hospitals, and in other workplaces. Here are a collection of resources that can help you to understand fall prevention and how to implement preventative actions.

Overview and Data

Online Resources

Fall prevention: Simple tips to prevent falls
Mayo Clinic resource with tips on how to prevent falls.
Falls Prevention for Professionals
WHO Falls
World Health Organization information about falls including key facts and the demographics who are most at risk.
Falls Data
The CDC's information on falls including trends by month, location, and costs.

Accidental Falls

"During 1999–2020, death rates from unintentional falls among persons aged ≥65 years increased among all age groups. The largest increase occurred among persons aged ≥85 years, from 110.2 per 100,000 population in 1999 to 291.5 in 2020." - CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report

Fall Prevention for Older Adults

Online Resources

Older Adults Fall Prevention at the CDC
Geared specifically towards Older Adults, this portal has a variety of resources for fall prevention programs, and in multiple languages.
National Council on Aging Fall Prevention Portal
Has the latest news on developments in fall prevention, as well as facts and tip sheets on how to prevent falls.
Fall Prevention Center of Excellence
While this entire site is a great resource, this page is specifically for educators and researchers.

Posters

Borrow these posters from the library. All are available in English, Spanish, and Mandarin.

Begin a regular exercise program

Have your health care provide
review your medications

Have your vision checked

Make your home safer

Book from the Collection

Falls in Older People: Prevention and Management by Rein Tideiksaar
Call Number: ELD FALL FALLS
ISBN: 9781932529449
Publication Date: 2010-05-18
Presenting evidence-based practice throughout, this easy-to-read manual is a comprehensive guide to preventing and managing falls in hospitals and long-term care settings. Now in its fourth edition, the award-winning guide explores the internal and external causes of falls, analyzes their consequences, provides clinical assessments for actual falls as well as risks for falling, and promotes an interdisciplinary approach to falls management. Jam-packed with practical strategies, assessment tools, and management practices, Falls in Older People includes all the medical, rehabilitative, and environmental strategies needed in any care setting to protect the safety and health of at-risk older adults.

Evidence

Systematic causality mapping of factors leading to accidental falls of older adults
This systematic literature review and meta-analysis discusses risk factors and the crucial factors that lead to accidental falls of the older adults. Zhu, H., Hu, K., Liu, S., Kim, H.-C., Wang, Y., & Xue, Q. (2020). Systematic causality mapping of factors leading to accidental falls of older adults. Public Health in Practice, 1. https://doi-org.treadwell.idm.oclc.org/10.1016/j.puhip.2020.100045
Characteristics Associated with Improved Physical Performance among Community-Dwelling Older Adults in a Community-Based Falls Prevention Program.
This was a retrospective analysis of quasi-longitudinal data from an ongoing, community-based falls prevention program. The purpose was to identify participant characteristics predicting improvement on physical performance measures associated with falls risk. Scronce, G., Zhang, W., Smith, M. L., & Mercer, V. S. (2020). Characteristics Associated with Improved Physical Performance among Community-Dwelling Older Adults in a Community-Based Falls Prevention Program. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(7). https://doi-org.treadwell.idm.oclc.org/10.3390/ijerph17072509
Rhythm-Motor Dual Task Intervention for Fall Prevention in Healthy Older Adults
This study aimed to investigate the effects of a rhythm-motor dual task intervention on cognitive and gait control for older adults in relation to fall prevention. Soo Ji Kim, & Ga Eul Yoo. (2020). Rhythm-Motor Dual Task Intervention for Fall Prevention in Healthy Older Adults. Frontiers in Psychology, 10. https://doi-org.treadwell.idm.oclc.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.03027
Evaluation of a novel technology-supported fall prevention intervention – study protocol of a multi-centre randomised controlled trial in older adults at increased risk of falls
This study looks at a new technology-supported intervention for fall prevention to determine the effects on number of falls and fallers. Tobias Morat, Melina Snyders, Philipp Kroeber, Alice De Luca, Valentina Squeri, Martin Hochheim, Philipp Ramm, Annika Breitkopf, Michael Hollmann, & Wiebren Zijlstra. (2023). Evaluation of a novel technology-supported fall prevention intervention – study protocol of a multi-centre randomised controlled trial in older adults at increased risk of falls. BMC Geriatrics, 23(1), 1–13. https://doi-org.treadwell.idm.oclc.org/10.1186/s12877-023-03810-8

Fall Prevention in Hospitals

Online Resources

Older Adult Fall Prevention (STEADI)
A fall prevention program to help decrease patient falls while in the hospital, promote better post-discharge care, improve hospital processes and records, and manage medications that increase fall risk.
AHRQ Fall Prevention Toolkit
Resources for preventing falls in hospitals from the Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality.
How to Prevent Patient Falls in 10 Steps
Tips to reduce and prevent falls in hospitals.

Evidence

Hospital falls prevention with patient education: a scoping review.
A scoping review looking at patient education related to fall prevention in hospitals. Heng, H., Jazayeri, D., Shaw, L., Kiegaldie, D., Hill, A.-M., & Morris, M. E. (2020). Hospital falls prevention with patient education: a scoping review. BMC Geriatrics, 20(1), 140. https://doi-org.treadwell.idm.oclc.org/10.1186/s12877-020-01515-w
Fall prevention implementation strategies in use at 60 United States hospitals: a descriptive study.
This descriptive study aims to identify and describe the prevalence of specific hospital fall prevention implementation strategies. Turner, K., Staggs, V., Potter, C., Cramer, E., Shorr, R., & Mion, L. C. (2020). Fall prevention implementation strategies in use at 60 United States hospitals: a descriptive study. BMJ Quality & Safety, 29(12), 1000–1007. https://doi-org.treadwell.idm.oclc.org/10.1136/bmjqs-2019-010642

Other Types of Fall Prevention

Fall Prevention on Construction Sites

OSHA's Fall Prevention Campaign
This fall prevention portal is geared towards preventing falls at construction sites. It provides visual aids in both English and Spanish.
CDC playlist of videos for fall safety in the construction industry
The CDC has compiled videos for fall prevention on construction sites such as prevention, testimonies, and campaigns.

Window Fall Prevention

Window Falls Prevention
From the Boston Public Health Commission, here are tips and safety measures to prevent kids falling from windows.
Window Falls Toolkit
This website has resources to spread awareness about window falls, as well as infographics, facts and advice from reputable sources, articles, and videos.

Workplace Fall Prevention

Falls in the Workplace
This CDC website provides fast facts regarding job hazards and what can be done to prevent falls.
Prevention of Slips, Trips and Falls
This website provides easy-to-read information about how falls can happen in the workplace and the best ways to avoid them.

Safety and Fall Prevention Apps

The following are apps that can be used with clients to address safety and fall prevention:

Emergency
This app provides emergency alerts via The America Red Cross regarding severe weather and man made/natural hazards. This app allows individuals to monitor conditions in their area and check to see if loved ones are safe and let them know they are safe.
Blood Donor
This app helps you find nearby Red Cross blood drives, schedule appointments, earn rewards from premier retailers, follow your blood’s journey from donation through delivery (when possible), and create or join a lifesaving team and track its impact on a national leaderboard.
First Aid
This app puts expert advice for everyday emergencies in your hand. With videos, interactive quizzes and simple step-by-step advice it’s never been easier to know first aid.
Nymbl Training
The Nymbl Training app provides a comprehensive system for measuring, tracking, and improving balance. All interactions can be monitored and managed remotely.