Home care clients' participation in fall prevention activities.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether home care clients have accessed or been influenced by fall prevention programs.


METHODS
Mail survey of 4743 home care clients from several home care agencies.


RESULTS
Among the clients, 47.2% completed the survey and 46% had fallen within the last year. Faller and non-fallers differed in attitude to falls and fall risk factors. Only 15% of fallers and 7% of non-fallers had taken part in a fall prevention program and only 8% knew how to access information about such activities.


CONCLUSIONS
Fall prevention strategies should be targeted at the home care population. Such programs should take into consideration the specific needs of this group.
Smith
Joanna
J
Silver Chain Nursing Association, Western Australia, Australia. jmsmith@silverchain.org.au
Lewin
Gill
G
D000056:Accident Prevention / Q000379:methods*; D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000061:Accidents, Home / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001315:Australia; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D005851:Geriatric Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D010358:Patient Participation; D015397:Program Evaluation; D018570:Risk Assessment