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. 2025 Aug;16(4):1249-1268.
doi: 10.1007/s41999-025-01206-y. Epub 2025 Jun 12.

Falls prevention in community-dwelling older adults and implementation of world falls guidelines: a call for action across Europe by the European Geriatric Medicine Society Special Interest Group on Falls and Fractures

Nathalie van der Velde #  1   2 , Lotta J Seppala #  3   4 , Alvaro Casas Herrero  5   6   7 , Cedric Annweiler  8   9   10 , Anna Björg Jónsdóttir  11   12 , Hubert Blain  13 , Yannis Dionyssiotis  14 , Sofia Duque  15 , James Frith  16 , Bahaa N Francis  17 , Tomasz Grodzicki  18 , Alison Hay  19 , Luisa Alejandra Hernández-Sánchez  20 , Roope Jaatinen  21   22 , Christof J Kadane  23   24 , Marko Kolsek  25 , Tomasz Kostka  26 , Lisa McGarrigle  27   28   29 , Stany Perkisas  30 , Christoph Pertinatsch  23   24 , Beatrice Pettersson  31 , Jean-Yves Reginster  32 , Carmelinda Ruggiero  33 , Opinder Sahota  34   35 , François-Xavier Sibille  36   37 , Balamrit Singh Sokhal  38   39 , Dawn A Skelton  40 , Joke Spildooren  41 , Emma Stanmore  28   29   42 , Hana Vankova  43   44 , Ellen Vlaeyen  45   46 , Yelda Ozturk  47 , Ozlem Yilmaz  48 , Chris Todd  29   42   49 , Caterina Trevisan  50 , Hanna Willems  1   2 , Manuel Montero-Odasso  51   52   53 , Finbarr C Martin  54 , Jesper Ryg  55   56 , Tahir Masud  57 ; European Geriatric Medicine Society Special Interest Group on Falls, Fractures
Affiliations

Falls prevention in community-dwelling older adults and implementation of world falls guidelines: a call for action across Europe by the European Geriatric Medicine Society Special Interest Group on Falls and Fractures

Nathalie van der Velde et al. Eur Geriatr Med. 2025 Aug.

Abstract

Falls among older adults represent a significant public health challenge due to their consequences, including serious injuries, increased morbidity and mortality, decreased quality of life, and heightened healthcare costs. The World Falls Guidelines (WFG), published in 2022, offer a robust framework for evidence-based interventions; however, the uptake of these guidelines into clinical practice across Europe remains inconsistent. Key barriers to implementation include insufficient resources, a lack of trained healthcare professionals, and limited integration into existing healthcare systems. This position paper by the EuGMS Special Interest Group (SIG) on Falls and Fractures addresses the implementation of the WFG among community-dwelling older adults and falls prevention across Europe by providing an overview of the current status of WFG adoption in Europe and discusses the challenges and opportunities for implementation. We provide an overview of the current resources to support the clinical practice of falls prevention, implementation guides, and educational programs. Additionally, we discuss what is necessary for the future development of these resources and for advancing research. The EuGMS SIG on Falls and Fractures advocates for a commitment of healthcare providers as well as insurers, policymakers, and other stakeholders to collaborative European initiatives-such as developing a standardised falls prevention strategy, promoting evidence-based implementation plans, establishing a European-wide research agenda, and creating under- and postgraduate curricula-which are essential for advancing falls prevention efforts across Europe.

Keywords: Accidental falls; Implementation; Older adults; World falls guidelines.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Conflict of interest: On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest. DAS is a Director of Later Life Training, a not-for-profit company that delivers training to health and exercise professionals working in falls prevention (Otago Exercise Programme and Falls Management Programme) in the UK and across Europe. Ethical approval: Not applicable. Informed consent: Not applicable.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Multifactorial model for falls
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Algorithm for risk stratification for community-dwelling older adults adapted from the WFG [7]
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
a Case finding, interventions, and reassessment for low- and intermediate-risk older adults adapted from the World Falls Guidelines. b Case finding, risk assessment, interventions, and follow-up for high-risk older adults adapted from the World Falls Guidelines. MDT = multidisciplinary team, GP = general practitioner
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Steps for a local falls implementation plan [103]
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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