Project Overview

Falls are the number-one cause of injuries in older adults, and are especially common among seniors in long-term care (LTC). Lack of evidence on “how falls occur” in this setting is a barrier to prevention. This project will translate evidence to a community of practice (older adults, care providers, researchers and industry) generated from the “falls video database” generated under our previous award (WP5.2). The database consists of video footage and clinical incident reports of 2579 falls experienced by 692 older adults in LTC. Under Aim 1, we will develop educational modules, in the form of short videos, that incorporate case studies of real-life falls to convey best practices in fall and injury prevention related to physical activity, exercise, environmental modifications, assistive devices and wearable hip protectors. The modules will hosted by the Fraser Health Authority (FHA) LearningHub and the Canadian Falls Prevention Curriculum (CFPC). Under Aim 2, we will share video footage of real-life falls for reuse and innovation by researchers, educators and industry through the Databrary network. By mobilizing knowledge and evidence from our real-life falls database, our efforts should improve care delivery, foster innovation in prevention strategies, and ultimately improve the quality of life for older adults.