A project led by The University of Western Australia that aims to reduce hospital fall injuries and assist recovery in older people has received more than $1.4 million in Federal funding.
The research, led by Professor Anne-Marie Hill, from UWA's School of Allied Health and the WA Centre for Health and Ageing at UWA, was awarded funding through the Federal Government's Medical Research Future Fund.
Image: Professor Anne-Marie Hill (UWA), Ms Jenny Clarke (consumer representative), Professor Leon Flicker (UWA), Ms Carol Watson (Head of Department, Physiotherapy, Royal Perth Bentley Group), Ms Kelly-Ann Hahn (Nursing Director Safety & Quality, Royal Perth Bentley Group).
Professor Hill, whose work is supported by the Royal Perth Hospital Research Foundation, said hospital falls were a major cause of serious injuries and deaths each year and associated with older patients' functional decline, delayed discharge, loss of independence and admission to residential aged care.
"Australian hospitals spend $590 million yearly trying to prevent falls, but some interventions, such as bed alarms, are not effective," she said.
"It is vital to reduce falls to avoid older people having poor outcomes after a hospital admission."
The project aims to reduce hospital falls by implementing an evidence-based fall prevention education program, which will be implemented and evaluated by three health services in two states.
"We hope through a high participation rate to build new researcher capacity and skills in ageing and hospital care," Professor Hill said.
"Our education program facilitates good staff communication with patients to support their recovery."
The project will provide a foundation for effective delivery of patient fall prevention education by working with older people, their families, staff and health professionals.
"Our health professional and clinical training and mentoring will build capacity in geriatrics and hospital research," Professor Hill said.
The project is in collaboration with La Trobe University, East Metropolitan Health Service WA, Northern Health and Western Health in Victoria, and includes researchers from Queensland University of Technology, the University of Melbourne, Deakin University, The University of Notre Dame, and Malcom Randall Veterans Affairs Medical Center, US.
