185Evaluation of an Interdisciplinary Falls Prevention Team in Residential Care for Older Adults including Older Adults with an Intellectual Disability

Abstract

Background: In all health care settings, but particularly residential settings, falls are the most prevalent adverse incident reported and are a cause of significant morbidity and mortality. While no single intervention has been shown to impact on falls rates it is increasingly recognised that individualised, multimodal interventions, performed in an interdisciplinary manner can be of benefit especially in those deemed to be at highest risk. Method(s): A falls prevention team was established across a care setting catering for older adults in residential care (48 beds), and older adults with an intellectual disability (100 beds) in 2016. This interdisciplinary team included a Clinical Nurse Specialist, Occupational therapist, Physiotherapist, Pharmacist, Clinical Nutritionist and Risk manager, the function of which was to undertake multifactorial falls risk assessment and implement individualised falls prevention initiatives. Components of the assessments included environmental reviews, mobility assessments, and medication reviews while the interventions included provision of specialised seating, floor low beds, bed and chair alarms, non slip socks, bed wedges and/or crash mats and exercises programmes. All falls underwent a critical incident review process. The team raised awareness by identifying a falls 'champion' on each unit. Education was provided for staff and service users which included fall awareness days within the organisation. Result(s): Following the introduction of the falls prevention team in 2016 the absolute number of falls reduced (2015-falls = 385, 2016-falls = 292, 2017-falls = 236) and continue to decline despite the increasing age profile and complexity of the service users. Conclusion(s): Focussed assessment by an interdisciplinary falls prevention team to identify risks and introduce individualised strategies to reduce components of risk has been effective in preventing falls in residential care for older adults including older adults with an intellectual disability.