The European Seminar that EuroSafe organised late November in Glasgow concluded that falls in older people is a health problem across Europe and therefore requires concerted actions at European, national and local level. Such actions should target older people but also those that are still fit and active, because people influence how they age by adopting more active and healthier lifestyles earlier in life.
Each year, one in three adults aged 65 and older falls, mostly at home. Falls often lead to severe injury and long-term physical disability, increased dependency and reduction in quality of life. The associated costs of treatment and the ‘cost’ to the individual’s engagement in an active and fulfilling life are considerable.
Evidence now exists that most falls among older people are associated with identifiable and modifiable risk factors, i.e. a combination of age and disease-related conditions and the individual’s interaction with their social and physical environment. There is also ample evidence to show that interventions, particularly those promoting physical activity and strength and balance training, are effective and can significantly reduce the burden of the rising epidemic of fall injuries in an ageing Europe.
The European Seminar was organised in collaboration with ProFouND, an EU-funded project which brings together 21 partners from 12 countries and with associate members from 10 countries. The seminar gave health and social care professionals insight into the magnitude of the issue and information on evidence-based approaches to falls and fall-related injury prevention among seniors. Participants learned about current effective programs, and the reliability and validity of existing resources and tools for screening and assessing fall risk. The seminar also provided insight into how to involve seniors as partners in the development of effective strategies and interventions.
In discussion sessions it was concluded that falls prevention initiatives should be aligned with national strategies for active and healthy ageing and therefore follow a life-course approach focussing on sedentary active lifestyles as major risk factor in older adults. It was also underlined that health and social services should better connect with and respond to the needs of a growing older population; the various professionals in community and primary care, in out-patient clinics and in second and third level of hospital care, should be better connected together and deliver a continuum of services and care. Urban and rural environments, transportation and community services can also make important contributions to promote and sustain more active lifestyles and to reduce exposure to known risk factors.
Chairing the closing session, Wim Rogmans called on national and local governments to forge strong policy coalitions across government departments and to provide co-ordinated fall prevention services to older adults in general and high risk older people in particular. More investments should be made in raising awareness among the general population of falls, related injury risks and the availability of effective preventive measures. National and local governments should encourage professional to take up evidence based and cost-effective interventions in primary care and community services. Staff training curricula should include course sections on ageing and falls prevention and tailor made tools for fall risk assessment and fall prevention counselling. Professionals should be trained in implementing falls prevention exercise programmes and balance training, individualised for those at high risk as well as for the entire population of older adults.
People, including informal carers and older people themselves, should have easy access to information and training opportunities. Fall prevention shall be formal part of quality frameworks in all health and social care settings for older people.
EuroSafe, as partner in the ProFouND network will continue to disseminate available knowledge and skills in falls prevention across Europe. EuroSafe’s role is in particular to bring together relevant stakeholders to consolidate roadmaps and guidelines regarding fall prevention. It facilitates the communication between solution/service providers and key stakeholders (private and voluntary organisations, public authorities) at national, regional or local level to ensure effective implementation and reach.
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