Falls Prevention - Older Adults

As a front line health care provider you may be the first point of contact for an older adult that has been injured due to a fall and you probably see many clients who have not had a serious fall yet, but are at risk.

This section of the web was designed to help you identify the risk factors for a fall and give you information on programs, services and resources available to your clients and your practice. 

Tools for Health Care Professionals

Visit the Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington Falls Prevention Coalition section for  health care professionals for their Falls Risk Assessment tools

• Quick guide for Health Care Professionals to assess older people at risk of falling
• Guideline for the prevention of falls in older persons
• Drug Prescriptions for older adults - Adapted from an initiative of Australia’s North Coast Public Health Unit’s Stay on Your Feet Programme
• The Timed Up & Go Test for Fall Risk Assessment

For a scored balance and gait assessment use the Tinetti Balance Assessment

Best Practice Material

• Injuries Among Seniors in Ontario
• Report on Seniors' Falls in Canada

Available Services & Programs

• Seniors and Safe Medication Use
• Ontario Seniors' Secretariat - Programs and Services
• Canadian National Institute for the Blind – Vision Support Services
• Canadian Hearing Society – Programs and Services
• Veterans Affairs Canada – Assistance Services

Resources

• Health Unit Resources
• Falls Prevention - Staying Independent – information for patients
• Osteoporosis Canada – For Health Professionals
• Canadian Arthritis Society– Education and Support
• Alzheimer Society Canada
• Centre for Addictions and Mental Health – Medication Issues