Falls Prevention
Hip Fractures are most often caused by a fall. As individuals over the age of 65 are 9 times more likely to fall a falls prevention is a critical component to consider in the development of a hip fracture program. There are a number of falls prevention initiatives across the country. There is a training program called the Canadian Falls Prevention Curriculum which is available at http://www.canadianfallprevention.ca/.
Falls prevention programs
There is also a number of falls prevention programs across the country that are being implemented to reduce the rate of falls.
Smart Moves
This program includes a toolkit that was designed to reduce fall in seniors either in their home or in the community. It includes recommendations on exercises that can be performed to increase strength in the muscles and the bones to improve balance.
Strategies and Actions for Independent Living
This is a comprehensive program for health care professionals in British Columbia that work in community and in a persons home. The training includes risk identification, prevention tools and protocols and a falls monitoring and reporting system.
Finding balance
This program is an awareness campaign aimed at promoting real life strategies that can reduce the risk of falls for older adults which is based in Alberta at The Alberta Centre For Injury Control & Research, is a campaign designed to increase awareness of falls prevention among older Albertans.
Osteoporosis
The majority of patients that have experienced a fractured hip are at risk of osteoporosis. As such, their prevention strategy should include the identification and management of osteoporosis. BJC support the recommendations developed by Osteoporosis Canada. The materials to support implementation can be found on the Osteoporosis Canada website in the Clinical Tools and Resources section for Health Professionals, and can be viewed and downloaded at no charge.
http://www.osteoporosis.ca/multimedia/tools.html
These tools have been developed from the 2010 Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Osteoporosis in Canada.