Evidence-based interventions in fall prevention

Abstract

Falls and fall-related injuries, prevalent among older adults, not only have devastating consequences for older adults in terms of morbidity and mortality, but are also associated with high health care costs. Studies have found that multifactorial intervention strategies can effectively prevent and/or reduce falls among older adults. The purpose of this article is to describe evidence-based intervention strategies for community-dwelling older adults. Fall prevention efforts are clearly an important area of health promotion and injury prevention, and evidence presented in this article provides support for effective intervention strategies. Home health care professionals can play a significant role in such intervention strategies. However, further research is needed to clarify which groups will benefit most from specific intervention programs.