Wisconsin Injury Prevention Program
Fall Prevention
Welcome to the fall prevention website, a collaboration
with the UW Health Falls Clinic. The mission of this website is to
provide information about injuries associated with unintentional falls and
on best practices in fall prevention.
Falls are a significant cause of injury in all ages of the
U.S. population, but a particular burden in those ages 65 years and
older. One third of people over the age of 65 years fall every
year. Ten percent of these falls are serious enough to require
hospitalization. Falls may also lead to premature death.
Wisconsin has one of the highest rates of death from unintentional falls
in the nation. In fact, the death rate due to unintentional falls in
Wisconsin is twice the national average. To obtain more information
on fall-related deaths, hospitalizations, and emergency department visits,
please go to the Wisconsin Interactive Statistics on Health (WISH).
 By proclamation of Governor Doyle, September is "Fall
Prevention Awareness Month" and September 22nd (the first day of fall
) is "Fall Prevention Awareness Day". View
the Governor's proclamation and Fall Prevention Awareness
resources.
With adequate information and knowledge falls can be
prevented. Research shows that effective fall prevention programs
have multiple components. Click on the links to obtain information on fall
prevention for each of the following groups:
Wisconsin Fall Prevention Programs and Activities:
- Fall Prevention Initiative
The mission of the Wisconsin Falls Prevention Initiative is to reduce
falls and fall-related complications and deaths among Wisconsin's
older adults through the integration of community based and medical
prevention approaches. The Falls Prevention Initiative is
comprised of health care practitioners, educators, researchers,
organizations serving older adults, social service professionals, and
staff members from the Divisions of Long Term Care and Public
Health. The group is open to all that believe in the mission and
want to help refine and achieve the goals:
- Increase education of medical community, frontline staff, care
managers, caregivers, and consumers;
- Promote continued and successful collaborations between social and
medical disciplines that deliver health services and support; and
- Identify and promote evidence-based activities and programming
statewide.
- Stepping On
Stepping
On is a seven week falls prevention class incorporating
behavior change theory. It was found in research by Dr. Lindy Clemson
of Australia to be effective in reducing falls among older adults by
about 30 percent. Kenosha County brought the program to several
Wisconsin counties under a Wisconsin Partnership Program grant. The
Department of Health Services has expanded Stepping On to additional
counties under grants from the Administration on Aging and the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention
- Sure-Step
Sure Step is a multi-factorial, one-on-one intervention
conducted by a physical therapist, occupational therapist, or
registered nurse. It is the result of research conducted by Jane
Mahoney, MD, and Terry Shea, PT, in a randomized trial in Kenosha
County and found to be effective in reducing falls in a subset of high
risk older adults. Results to date show a 68% reduction in falls in
the 6 months after the start of the intervention compared to the 6
months prior.
2006 Reports:
Fall Prevention Web Links:
To obtain contact information for county aging offices, go
to: http://dhs.wisconsin.gov/aging/contacts/coagof.htm
To obtain contact information for Aging and Disability
Resource Centers, go to: http://dhs.wisconsin.gov/ltcare/Generalinfo/adrccontactlist.pdf
To obtain information on the Evidence-Based Healthy Aging
Program, "Living Well with Chronic Health Conditions", go to the
AgeAdvantageAge website at: http://discover-net.net/~ageadvan/
(exit DHS)
For information on childhood injuries from falls, go to: http://dhs.wisconsin.gov/health/InjuryPrevention/FallPrevention/ChildhoodFalls.htm
If you would like more information or to sign up for our quarterly Fall
Prevention Teleconference, please contact Brianna Kopp at
Brianna.Kopp@dhs.wisconsin.gov
For more information about Injury Prevention, visit:
Last Updated: September 22, 2009 |
