Preventing and Reducing Falls in Assisted Living Facilities: An Educational Intervention

Edgehill Mansion, Garden Room, Dominican University of California

As the number of older adults continues to rise, falling in older adults has become a national health care issue. Many older adults who fall reside in assisted living facilities. When a fall incident occurs, first responders are often called, utilizing a significant amount of first responders’ time and resources. Therefore, the purpose of this project was to implement a fall prevention program for residents of an assisted living facility (ALF) to reduce fall risk and fall-related calls to the local fire department. The project consisted of a four-week course given once weekly for 60 minutes to residents at an ALF. Course content was evidence-based and included information on the role of occupational therapy in fall prevention, strength and balance exercises, environmental fall risks, and how hydration, nutrition, vitamin D intake, bone health, and medication management impact fall risk. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, indicating that participants found the information helpful and relevant. Occupational therapists and other health professionals can play an important role in the education of residents and staff of ALFs to: increase awareness of fall risks, promote health and well-being among older adults, and help decrease fall-related calls to first responders.