Fall Prevention and Safety

Fall Prevention and Safety

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), falls are the leading cause of injury and injury death for adults aged 65 and older.  Over 14 million older adults fall each year, resulting in nearly 3 million emergency department visits, 1 million hospital stays, and over 38,000 deaths for that age group.  In 2023, the tag for resident falls/accidents (F689) was the second highest citation for nursing homes in the state of Michigan. In an effort to help nursing homes with their fall prevention practices, SLCS offers a Fall Prevention and Safety Consultation to provide education and information, review policies and procedures, and discuss measures to enhance or improve processes that are identified through onsite reviews, discussions, and observations.

Resources

1. AHRQ's Quality & Patient Safety Programs by Setting: Long-Term Care | Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
2. Appendix B1: The Falls Management Program Self-Assessment Tool | Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (ahrq.gov)
3. Module 3: Best Practices in Fall Prevention—Training Guide | Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (ahrq.gov)
4. CMS Accidents Critical Element Pathway
5. About Older Adult Fall Prevention | Older Adult Fall Prevention | CDC
6. Falls Toolkit - VHA National Center for Patient Safety (va.gov)
7. STEADI - Older Adult Fall Prevention | STEADI - Older Adult Fall Prevention | CDC