Falls prevention in residential care homes: a randomised controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE
to determine the effect of risk factor modification and balance exercise on falls rates in residential care homes.


METHODS
cluster randomised controlled trial.


METHODS
196 residents (aged 60 years or over) in 20 residential care homes were enrolled (38% response rate). Homes were randomly allocated to intervention and control arms. A total of 102 residents were consigned to the intervention arm and 94 to the control arm.


METHODS
a multifactorial falls prevention programme including 3 months gait and balance training, medication review, podiatry and optometry.


METHODS
number of falls/recurrent falls per person, number of medications per person, and change in Tinetti gait and balance measure.


RESULTS
in the intervention group there was a mean of 2.2 falls per resident per year compared with 4.0 in the control group; this failed to reach statistical significance (P = 0.2) once the intra-cluster correlation (ICC, 0.10) had been accounted for. Several risk factors were reduced in the intervention arm.


CONCLUSIONS
falls risk factor reduction is possible in residents of care homes. A modest reduction in falls rates was demonstrated but this failed to reach statistical significance.
Dyer
Christopher A E
CA
Royal United Hospital Bath NHS Trust, Combe Park, Bath BA1 5HP, UK. chris.dyer@ruh-bath.swest.nhs.uk
Taylor
Gordon J
GJ
Reed
Mary
M
Dyer
Catherine A
CA
Robertson
Dorothy R
DR
Harrington
Rachel
R
D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000368:Aged; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D011482:Protective Devices; D011897:Random Allocation; D012112:Residential Facilities; D012307:Risk Factors