Facilitating Effective Communication Between First Responders and Older Adults During Fall Incidents

Edgehill Mansion, Garden Room, Dominican University of California

As the older adult population grows, more individuals wish to age in place leading to an increased number of falls among older adults. The purpose of this project was to provide first responders with communication strategies that may help when responding to fall-related calls. A series of educational presentations were given to first responders at the Novato Fire District by occupational therapy students. Presenters developed educational materials using evidence-based resources and tailored them to the target population. Each two-hour presentation consisted of a lecture, role play, and discussion period. The presentations provided information about statistics on older adults, the aging process, fall risk factors, and effective communication strategies. Upon the completion of the presentation, participants completed an evaluation. Evaluations included rating the quality and information provided, and whether participants recommended this training to other first responders. The average rating was 95%, which indicated the first responders strongly agreed that the presentations were useful and would recommend this training to other first responders. In conclusion, educational presentations to first responders may help facilitate better care and more effective communication during an emergency call with older adults. Collaboration with first responders can provide occupational therapists with a new role regarding fall prevention for older adults.