Successes and setbacks of the falls consultation: report on the first 150 patients.
OBJECTIVE
We report the results of a Falls Consultation.


METHODS
Data concerning the first 150 patients are reported. Each patient was assessed by a geriatrician, a neurologist, and a physiatrist, who visited him or her at home, and was reassessed by the same geriatrician 6 mo later.


RESULTS
Of the 150 patients, 135 patients completed the initial evaluation. Most of them were frequent fallers. The population was very heterogeneous regarding the health status and the degree of disability. In most cases, falls were the result of several interacting factors. The most frequent recommendations from the staff were physical therapy, environmental changes, and medication changes. Over the following 6 mo, approximately one out of four patients had experienced new falls. However, the risk of falling was significantly reduced (5.3 +/- 7.3 falls in 6 mo before vs. 0.8 +/- 1.6 falls in 6 mo after the intervention). The Activities of Daily Living score was a predictor of recurrent falls, hospitalization, and institutionalization.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results show that a multidisciplinary falls consultation can be efficient in reducing the risk of falls in nonselected elderly fallers but suggest that differential strategies are needed to manage adequately the more vigorous and the frail old person as well.
Puisieux
F
F
Service de Médecine Interne et Gériatrie, Centre Hospitalier Régional et Universitaire de Lille, Lille, France.
Pollez
B
B
Deplanque
D
D
Di Pompeo
C
C
Pardessus
V
V
Thevenon
A
A
Dewailly
P
P
D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010348:Patient Care Team