Much of healthcare focuses on treating diseases; Fall Risk Assessment programs, on the other hand, are designed to prevent injuries. In this guide, we’ll explore how Mobile Integrated Healthcare programs develop and implement a fall risk assessment program.
Fall risk assessment programs reduce injuries to seniors by implementing several techniques. The first step is to determine who is at the most risk. Next, these programs provide education to these patients. Finally, if necessary, environmental or physical interventions can be implemented to reduce the likelihood of a fall.
We’ll begin by examining what increases a person’s risk of falls — and then we’ll discuss how MIH can help.
Preventing Senior Injuries from Falls
Mobile integrated health teams and community paramedics are dedicated to making people safer and healthier. While many areas of medicine focus solely on cure, MIH devotes a significant amount of time and energy to prevention.
When it comes to reducing injuries from a fall, the old saying that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure couldn’t be more accurate. Below, you’ll find a list of some reasons seniors are at an increased risk of falls.
Things that make someone more likely to experience a fall:
- Medications: While not always the case, it’s often true that the older we get, the more medications we’ll take. These medications can sometimes cause drowsiness, lightheadedness, or dizziness. All of these symptoms can lead to a fall.
- Bone mass: As we age, bone density decreases. Not only does this mean it’s easy to sustain an injury from a fall, but it also means that any injury sustained from a fall will require a longer recovery, which is one of the reasons preventing falls is so critical.
- Balance: Changes in muscle mass can lead to balance issues as we age. While these changes can be minor, it only takes a small miscalculation to trip on the steps or in the bathroom.
- Eyesight: Finally, eyesight typically declines with age. The result? It’s more challenging to recognize and avoid tripping hazards.
This is not an exhaustive list, but it provides some insight into the challenges people may face and why falls are such a serious issue.
How Fall Assessment Programs Work (And Prevent Falls in Senior Populations)
Now that we have a little background on why falls are so dangerous (and more common than one might first think), let’s highlight some of the ways that MIH programs combat this issue and bridge the gap between falls and care. When it comes to fall risk assessment, there are several stages: assessment, education, and action.
Each phase is designed to prevent the most significant number of falls in the most number of patients.
Here’s how fall risk assessment programs work:
- Find the at-risk patients
- Perform an environmental assessment to remove hazards
- Provide education to the patient
- Continually reassess patients
- Reduce the burden of travel
That’s the map. Let’s take the journey.
Fall Assessment Programs Work by Finding the At-risk Patients (Before an Injury)
The first step of a fall risk assessment is to do the assessing. This is the part where the healthcare system sorts through people and decides who is at most risk of experiencing a fall. Generally, this program will have several steps.
First, they’ll keep it straightforward. Who has fallen in the last year? If a patient has fallen multiple times within the past year, they are a clear candidate for a fall prevention program, regardless of any other factors. Of course, many of these people have already experienced injuries related to falls. . .
Second, they will assess those patients who may recently have had a procedure that could make them more susceptible to a fall. It would be a great tragedy for someone to come home from knee surgery, only to experience another injury due to a fall. For these individuals, it’s essential that healthcare is proactive in preventing injuries.
Finally, there may be some people who just don’t feel safe traversing the way they used to. These individuals may reach out to inquire about walking aids or other modifications to their home to prevent falls and ensure they have the necessary resources to assist themselves should one occur, such as an alert necklace that can dial 911 if they are unable to help themselves up.
Fall Assessment Programs Work by Performing a Physical and Environmental Assessment to Reduce Hazards
After identifying the at-risk patient, the team will conduct the fall risk assessment. This assessment will examine both environmental and physical risk factors associated with falls. In the first section of this article, we mentioned several physical dangers (failing eyesight, medications, and bone degeneration); now, we will discuss some of the environmental dangers.
When both the physical and environmental fall risks are addressed, the person has the best chance of avoiding a potentially debilitating fall.
Here are some of the environmental components MIH teams look for during a fall risk assessment:
- Stairways: The fall risk assessment will evaluate the integrity of the stairway and the person’s ability to navigate the stairs. Even if the stairway is up to code, some people may not be physically capable of navigating a stairway. In this case, the fall risk assessment team may provide resources to build a ramp.
- Rugs: Area rugs are among the most common trip hazards and are rarely necessary. Most people are unaware that they should remove these rugs if they are at risk of falling. If they need the rug for some reason, they should either secure it or obtain a less hazardous rug.
- Shaky boards and thresholds: Additionally, some homes have warped floorboards or broken doorways. These shaky points on a floor can lead to falls, and if they fall, it can result in serious injury (even for someone who is not typically at risk of falling). During the fall risk assessment, the team will examine any areas the patient traverses and identify potential dangers.
- Lack of grip points: Grip is particularly important for areas that require transfer from one environment to the other. This becomes especially important in areas like the bathroom, where not only do some people need to step over relatively large obstacles (such as getting into a shower), but there is also the potential for slipping. Handlebars should be installed where possible.
- Vehicles: Finally, the environmental assessment should look at the person’s vehicle. Falls often occur when getting in or out of a vehicle, and this can be particularly dangerous because the patient may not always have access to a phone and may be exposed to the elements, including rain, cold, and snow. Fall risk assessment teams may recommend a different vehicle or modifications to the vehicle. In some cases, they may recommend that the person refrain from driving or riding in a vehicle alone.
These are some of the biggest components of the fall risk assessment. Now, let’s discuss a few additional ways MIH programs help reduce falls.
Fall Risk Assessment Programs Work by Providing Education on Equipment (walkers, canes, storage)
Fall risk assessment programs don’t stop at recommendations. In many cases, these programs make recommendations or physically modify the person’s environment. Some of the education they provide includes information on when and how to use a cane, as well as when to transition to a walker.
Then there are things like storage. It could be that for years, a person placed their medications up high (because they had children running around); however, now they may need to place their meds somewhere that is easier to access and requires less reaching.
Fall Risk Assessment Programs Work by Continually Reassessing Patients Who are Enrolled and High-Risk
A crucial element for fall risk assessment programs is to continually reassess the patient. The fact is, people are not static creatures, and their circumstances can change rapidly.
Individuals in a fall risk assessment program must be continually reassessed for another reason: to collect data. Certainly, we want to keep people safe, but we also want to know that what we did worked.
For example, if someone experienced ten falls in a single year, did they experience less the next year? If so, what was the factor that improved it? Did they install handlebars? Get them a new chair? Change from steps to ramps?
When people are reassessed, not only do they receive better care, but teams can also improve care in the future.
Reduce the Burden of Travel and Reduce the Potential for Falls (When All Else Fails)
There are times, sadly, when no amount of environmental changes can improve the situation, and the person requires much more active assistance to reduce the risk of a fall. These people might be fully reliant on a wheelchair, or they could have lost all mobility.
In these cases, MIH teams can bring as much care as possible directly to the patient. For these individuals, they can still stay in contact with their physician and ensure that they don’t miss out on care due to mobility impairments.
Conclusion: How Mobile Integrated Healthcare Reduces Injury with Fall Risk Assessment
Falls are a leading cause of injury and account for many 911 calls and ER visits every year. Reducing falls through fall risk assessment is in the interest of both the patient and the community.
Fall risk assessment teams will visit the patient’s home to evaluate their risk, provide recommendations for changes, and follow up to ensure the person remains safe.
Contact Julota for more information on how their software tools can jump-start community health initiatives, including fall prevention programs.