title: Using video capture to investigate the causes of falls in long-term care.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Falls and their associated injuries represent a significant cost and care burden in long-term care (LTC) settings. The evidence base for how and why falls occur in LTC, and for the design of effective interventions, is weakened by the absence of objective data collected on falls.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this article, we reflect on the potential utility of video footage in fall investigations. In particular, we report on findings from a Canadian Institute for Health Research-funded research project entitled "Technology for Injury Prevention in Seniors," detailing 4 distinct methodological approaches where video footage of real-life falls was used to assist in identifying the circumstances and contributory factors of fall events in LTC: questionnaire-driven observational group analysis; video-stimulated recall interviews and focus groups; video observations of the resident 24hr before the fall; and video incorporated within a comprehensive systemic falls investigative method.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We describe various ways in which video footage offers potential for both care providers and researchers to help understand the cause and prevention of falls in LTC. We also discuss the limitations of using video in fall investigations, including the logistical, practical, and ethical concerns arising from such an approach.
authors.affiliation: School of the Built Environment, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK. r.d.woolrych@hw.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Ryan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Woolrych
authors.affiliation: School of Health Studies, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of West Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Aleksandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zecevic
authors.affiliation: Gerontology Research Centre, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sixsmith
authors.affiliation: Centre for Hip Health and Mobility, Robert H.N. Ho Research Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Department of Family Practice, University of British Columbia, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Joanie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sims-Gould
authors.affiliation: Fraser Health Authority, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada. Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Feldman
authors.affiliation: Department of Gerontology, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Habib
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chaudhury
authors.affiliation: Injury Prevention and Mobility Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology and School of Engineering Science, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Bobbi
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Symes
authors.affiliation: Injury Prevention and Mobility Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology and School of Engineering Science, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Stephen N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Robinovitch
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002170:Canada; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D017751:Safety Management / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014741:Video Recording
keywords: Falls; Long-term care; Video