Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of the Collaborative Falls Prevention exercise programme is the integration of Physiotherapy led falls prevention exercise classes with education sessions delivered by professionals from community programmes for older adults. The optimisation of partnership working between Physiotherapists and local community agencies enabled statutory and community service providers to connect and share information for the benefit of the older adult living in the community, whilst reducing their risk of falls.
Background: The Falls Management exercise programme (FaME) reduces falls by 26 – 54% depending on population and duration. Falls destroy confidence, increase isolation and reduce independence, with around 1 in 10 older adults who fall becoming afraid to leave their home in case they fall again. A combination of age friendly environments and targeted approaches is needed to support older adults to remain physically active and reduce their risk of falls and fracture.
COVID-19 had a huge impact on the rehabilitation needs of older adult and has affected their re-engagement in community based activities. The aim of our programme was to re-engage with the older adult at risk of falling by establishing access to HSE Falls Prevention exercise classes and incorporating a social element to the classes with information and an introduction to local existing community services..
A direct referral pathway enabled all Enhanced Community Care (ECC)services including Integrated Care Programme for Older persons (ICPOP), Integrated Falls Prevention team, primary care and acute services and GPs to refer older adults at risk of falls living in the community into this collaborative programme.
Aims:
- Implement Physiotherapy led, 24 week structured falls management exercise programme (FaME) for older adults at risk of falls.
- Establish partnerships between the HSE ECC ICPOP programmes, Primary Care, GPs, Acute services with existing local services in the community for the older adult.
- Re-engage the older adult back into attending classes and local activities in their community by establishing a seamless transition between rehabilitation and community services for the older adult.
Outcome measurements: A total of 1404 attendances at the Falls Prevention exercise programmes from September 2022 to July 2023.
- 35% improvement in confidence and reduced fear of falling.
- 50% improvement in balance measurements.
- Timed up and go measurement for falls risk showed that 50% of participants were at risk of falls prior to attending the programme and this reduced to 10% of participants in the falls risk category post completion of the programme.
- 65% improvement in strength and balance measurements.
Eight different community agencies delivered information sessions on their services, enabling a smooth onward transition for the participants of the Falls Prevention programme to different community programmes. Collectively there were huge gains from integrating health and social care services. This initiative enabled services to work collaboratively for the benefit of older adults, so that they could access the high-quality care and support they need at a time and place that is appropriate to them, espousing the Sláintecare principles of ‘Right Care, Right Place, Right Time’.