Implementation Of Falls Prevention Of Older People In The City Of Lahti

Background Falls and related injuries are a major public health concern in elderly people in Finland. Despite extensive knowledge base about prevention of falls, widespread and systematic falls prevention was insufficient at Lahti City Social and Health Care services. Along with the structural change of Social and Health Care services, starting in 2014, implementation of falls prevention and reducing the falls incidence was set into one of the strategic goals. Objective IKINA – model was chosen as a framework for the implementation and developing local fall prevention practices. The emphasis is on organised and systematic multiprofessional fall risk assessment, risk-assessment-based planning and execution of necessary interventions. Implementation was initiated with analysing the falls, practices of recording the falls and skills and competence of the health care staff. Results One to two fall prevention and implementation champions have been trained from each nursing home units, home care and acute/rehabilitation wards (altogether 98 staff members). Head of each unit is liable for deployment of implementation in co-operation with the staff. Practices and scales for systematic fall risk factor assessment have been put into operation. Conclusions Target of the outcome and benefits of implementation are all citizens of Lahti and 1300 social and healthcare staff members. After two years, systematic fall risk assessment has become fixed procedure. Documentation of falls, risk factors, patient safety incident reporting and preventive work has improved. Daily physical activity and exercise has become a norm in units. The implementation is an ongoing process. Next follow-up survey will be done in spring 2016 and incident of falls and fall injuries are monitored regularly.