Resources on Falls and Fall Prevention
Federal Agencies
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – National Center for Injury Prevention
and Control
http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/pub-res/toolkit/toolkit.htm
This site contains CDC’s “Tool Kit to Prevent Senior Falls”
which has current technical information and materials about falls
and fall-related injuries that can be used on an individual basis or incorporated
into health promotion activities aimed at reducing falls among older adults . It
includes fact sheets, brochures, and additional information and references.
http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/wisqars/
This site has an interactive database system, called
WISQARS
TM (Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System), that provides
customized reports of nationwide injury-related data. It has information on fatal
and non-fatal fall injuries and the data can be sorted on age, race/ethnicity, gender,
and whether or not the individual was hospitalized.
http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/physical/growing_stronger/index.htm
This site has a strength training program for older adults called Growing
Stronger: Strength Training for Older Adults . The program was developed
by experts at Tufts University and CDC. Growing Stronger is an exercise program
based upon sound scientific research involving strengthening exercises—exercises
that have been shown to increase muscle strength, help maintain bones, and improve
your balance, coordination, and mobility.
http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/falls/default.htm#PDF
National Center for Injury Prevention and Control publication: Fall Prevention
Programs for Seniors: Selected Programs Using Home Assessment and Modification.
This publication has descriptions of 18 state and local fall prevention programs.
Consumer Product Safety Commission
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/701.html
This site contains CPSC’s “Safety For Older Consumers Home Safety Checklist,”
an extensive list of potential safety concerns in the home. It includes recommended
actions for each potential hazard identified.
http://www.cpsc.gov/LIBRARY/FOIA/FOIA05/os/older.pdf
This site contains a CPSC report detailing numbers and causes of product related
injuries among older adults (including those relating to falls). The 10-page report
titled “SPECIAL REPORT: Emergency Room Injuries Adults 65 and Older” was published
in 2005.
National Institute on Aging
http://www.niapublications.org/exercisebook/ExerciseGuideComplete.pdf
This site has an extensive guide (86 pages) for older adults to start and maintain
an exercise program. It includes information on such topics as benefits of exercise,
safety, motivation, sample exercises, and nutrition.
http://nihseniorhealth.gov/
This website for older adults was developed by the National Institute on Aging
and the National Library of Medicine, both part of the National Institutes of Health.
The site includes information and videos (viewable online) on falls-related
topics such as exercise, balance problems, and taking medicines safely.
National Institute on Aging Information Center
800-222-2225, 800-222-4225 (TTY)
Website: www.nia.nih.gov
Office of the Surgeon General
http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/bonehealth/
This site contains the 2004 report, “Bone Health and Osteoporosis: A Report
of the Surgeon General.” The report reviews the current status of American’s bone
health and makes recommendations to reduce the risk of osteoporosis and other bone
diseases. It predicts that by 2020 half of all Americans over 50 years old will
be at risk for fractures from osteoporosis and low bone mass if action is not taken.
Veteran’s Health Administration, National Center for Patient Safety
http://www.patientsafety.gov/SafetyTopics/fallstoolkit/
This site contains a “Falls Toolkit” which is designed to address the needs of medical
facilities just starting a falls prevention program and facilities that want to
assess and improve an existing program. It contains specific information addressing
the roles of managers, doctors, nurses, rehabilitation therapists, facility management
staff, and patients/families.
The Falls Toolkit contains a Falls Notebook, Media Tools, and additional resources.
The Falls Notebook contains detailed information for different medical professional
and facility administration officials with sections on falls teams, falls policy,
interventions, and measuring success. The Media Tools include a series of downloadable
posters, fliers, and brochures to promote fall-injury prevention. The Resources
include educational materials and links to helpful web sites.
Universities
Cornell University – Weill Medical College
http://www.cornellaging.org/gem/
This site has information on the Gerontologic Environmental Modifications (GEM)
Program. GEM is a research, interior design, and gerontology safety education program
aimed at helping older adults safely maintain their independence and quality of
life. It has extensive information on falls and home safety including environmental
assessment tools and information on products such as bathing safety equipment.
University of Northern Iowa
Iowa Consortium for Applied Gerontology
http://www.iacag.org/
The Consortium focuses on developing timely and accessible educational programs
for Iowa communities. IaCAG provides services and opportunities for Iowa's senior
population, service providers, education professionals, businesses, students, and
family caregivers. It is hosted at the University of Northern
Iowa.
University of Pittsburgh , Department of Epidemiology
http://www.pitt.edu/~super1/lecture/lec3571/index.htm
This site contains a lecture on falls that was intended as overview for med
students and other medical professionals. (It is part of a large collection of online
courses and lectures funded by NASA and the National Library of Medicine.)
University of Southern California, Fall Prevention Center of
Excellence
www.stopfalls.org
The mission of the Fall Prevention Center of Excellence is to identify best
practices in fall prevention and to help communities offer fall prevention programs
to older people who are at risk of falling. This site contains information on balance
and mobility, medical management, environment issues, and numerous different types
of prevention programs.
Associations and Other Organizations
AARP
http://www.aarp.org/life/homedesign/
This site contains safety and accessibility checklists for older adults for
different areas of the home, a searchable database of Certified Aging-in Place specialists
around the country, and information on Universal Design (homes designed to be easy
to live in for people with different needs and disabilities).
American Academy of Family Physicians
http://www.aafp.org/afp/20000401/2159.html
This site has information on risk factors and interventions.
American Geriatrics Society
www.americangeriatrics.org/products/positionpapers/Falls.pdf
This site contains detailed guidelines for medical professionals, the “Guidelines
for the Prevention of Falls in Older Persons.” The guidelines were developed in
2001 jointly by the American Geriatrics Society, British Geriatrics Society, and
the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Panel on Falls Prevention.
National Council on Aging – Center for Healthy Aging
http://healthyagingprograms.org/
This site contains many fall related documents developed by NCOA and several
other organizations and individuals including research papers, reports, fact sheets,
and an “Environmental Scan” (a compendium of fall prevention programs from around
the country).
NSC Chapters
Minnesota Safety Council
The Minnesota Safety Council has a number of fact sheets on fall-related topics
such as home safety, home modifications, the benefits of physical activity, specific
exercises for strength and balance, exercise safety tips, and advice for family
members on transitions and behavior change. Also available is a PowerPoint presentation—“
Guard Your Independence!
Protect Yourself from Falls.”
( http://www.mnsafetycouncil.org/seniorsafe/)
Wisconsin Council of Safety
The Council’s web site has fact sheets on fall prevention and other information
as a result of its Fall Prevention Initiative. (http://www.wischamberfoundation.org/WCS/display.cfm?ID=443)
Wyoming-Montana Safety Council
The Council has developed a PowerPoint presentation on fall prevention that is available
on their web site.
(http://www.safety-council.com/ click
on “Alive at 90”)
Utah Safety Council
The Utah Safety Council web site has a fact sheet on elderly fall safety.
http://www.utahsafetycouncil.org/safetymain.html
