Falls Prevention

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What is a fall?
A fall is unintentionally coming to rest on the ground, floor or other lower surface with or without an injury

What is a near-fall?
When you or another person catch yourself before you fall to the ground
Near-falls are warning signs of future falls. 

Saskatchewan Falls Stats:

• Falls are the number one cause of injuries in older adults
• One in three seniors over the age of 65 will experience a fall and one in two seniors over the age of 80 will experience a fall.
• 69 per cent of Saskatchewan seniors will experience a serious fall
• Of the seniors who have fallen – 25 per cent decide to limit their daily activities because they fear falling again which reduces their quality of life
• The risk of falling is higher among seniors who have had a pervious fall, resulting in multiple hospitalizations
• Seven per cent of seniors admitted with hip fractures die in hospital within 30 days of admission
• 36 per cent of seniors who have had hip fractures will die within 12 months
• 40-50 per cent of all admissions to long term care are due to falls
• Injury from falls account for 36 per cent of the Saskatchewan’s annual economic burden in health care

Sun Country Health Region Statistics

• In 2013-2014, 262 residents in the Region experienced a fall, out of 1,011 residents in the long term care facilities. That is a 26 per cent resident fall rate compared to the provincial resident fall rate of 32 per cent.
• The two highest contributing factors for falls in long term care were poor balance and generalized weakness
• In 2013-2014, there were 3,346 patient safety incident reports submitted and the number one reported incident was falls, at 1,543 reports (46 per cent of the total reports).

Risk Factors of falling

1.      Behavior

• Not paying attention
• Rushing
• Taking risks
• Climbing on unsteady furniture
• Fear of falling
• Not using mobility aid or incorrect mobility aid
• Entering doorways or going up one level to another

2.      Lifestyle & Health Risks

• Poor balance
• Previous falls
• No physical activity
• Lower extremity weakness or injury
• Have frequent slips, trips or near falls
• Blackouts/Dizziness
• Foot problems
• Unsafe footwear
• Multiple medications
• Poor vision
• Poor nutrition and hydration
• Chronic diseases

 3.      Environmental

• Slippery floors
• Poor lighting
• Clutter on stairs
• Scatter rugs
• Lack of hand rails or grab bars
• Ice and snow on sidewalks
• Poor building design, no curb ramps, no rest areas, etc.

 4.      Social/Economical Risks

• Low income
• Lack of Education
• Illiteracy/Language barriers
• Poor living conditions or unsafe housing
• Poor social environment
• Living alone
• Lack of support networks and social interactions

Are you at risk of falling? Take the Fall Risk Questionnaire (find it under Related Files below).

For every yes answer, look in the “Your Next Step” Manual to see what you can do to decrease your risk of falling. (Find the manual under Related Files 2012  below.)

To reach Sun Country Health Region’s Falls Prevention Coordinator, call 306-842-8214.