Nivel de cumplimiento de metas internacionales de seguridad en un Sanatorio privado 2023 / Level of compliance with international safety goals in a private Sanatorium 2023

La presente investigación pretende evaluar el nivel de cumplimiento de las metas internacionales, que representan el foco principal para la mejora de calidad y seguridad de atención de los pacientes. La seguridad del paciente involucra a todos los estudios, prácticas y acciones promovidas por las instituciones sanitarias para disminuir y eliminar los riesgos de daños innecesarios relacionados con el cuidado de la salud. Metodología: Estudio descriptivo, observacional y transversal. De fuentes primaria y secundaria, Resultados: se abordaron las metas N° 1 la cual consiste en Identificar a los pacientes correctamente y la meta N° 6 la cual se refiere a Reducir el riesgo de lesiones en pacientes como resultado de caídas. En primer lugar, se destaca el cumplimiento en la identificación correcta del paciente y en segunda instancia la mejora del cumplimiento de medidas de prevención de caídas. Conclusión: Esta proximidad de los valores obtenidos genera un aspecto positivo para mejorar la seguridad de los pacientes y que, si bien el cumplimiento de las metas no es el deseado, es cercano al porcentaje planteado. Lo que en definitiva hace a este estudio un antecedente importante en la mejora continua con vista al futuro cercano[AU]

This research aims to evaluate the level of compliance with international goals, which represent the main focus for improving the quality and safety of patient care. Patient safety involves all studies, practices and actions promoted by health institutions to reduce and eliminate the risks of unnecessary harm related to health care. Methodology: Descriptive, observational and transversal study. From primary and secondary sources, Results: goals No. 1 were addressed, which consists of Identifying patients correctly and goal No. 6, which refers to Reducing the risk of injuries in patients as a result of falls. Firstly, compliance with correct patient identification stands out and secondly, improvement in compliance with fall prevention measures. Conclusion: This proximity of the values obtained generates a positive aspect to improve patient safety and that, although the fulfillment of the goals is not as desired, it is close to the proposed percentage. Which ultimately makes this study an important precedent in continuous improvement for the near future[AU]

Esta pesquisa tem como objetivo avaliar o nível de cumprimento das metas internacionais, que representam o foco principal para a melhoria da qualidade e segurança do atendimento ao paciente. A segurança do paciente envolve todos os estudos, e ações promovidas pelas instituições de saúde para reduzir e eliminar os riscos de danos desnecessários relacionados à assistência à saúde. Metodologia: Estudo descritivo, observacional e transversal. De fontes primárias e secundárias, dependendo do indicador e do objetivo para o qual a medição está sendo realizada. Resultados: Nesta pesquisa serão abordadas as metas nº1, que consiste em Identificar corretamente os pacientes e a meta nº 6, que es Reduzir o risco de lesões nos pacientes em decorrência de quedas. Foi realizado nos dois locais. Em primeiro lugar, destaca-se o cumprimento da correta identificação do paciente e, em segundo lugar, a melhoria no cumprimento das medidas de prevenção de quedas. Conclusão: Essa proximidade dos valores obtidos gera um aspecto positivo para melhorar a segurança do paciente e que, embora o cumprimento das metas não seja o desejado, está próximo do percentual proposto. O que acaba por tornar este estudo um precedente importante na melhoria contínua com vista ao futuro próximo.

Promoting musculoskeletal health and preventing ill health.

Musculoskeletal conditions are highly prevalent among older adults and can have a significant impact on their quality of life. Musculoskeletal health is an important component of maintaining well-being and independence. A proactive approach is required, with nurses implementing strategies such as healthy diets and physical exercise that will support optimal health. This article considers the importance of musculoskeletal health, examines the risk factors for a decline in musculoskeletal health, and explores approaches that can improve outcomes and promote healthy ageing.

Falls in people with mobility limitations: a cross-sectional analysis of a US registry of assistive device users.

Purpose of the Article: To (1) summarise the personal and clinical characteristics of persons with disabilities (PwDs) in the US who were evaluated for mobility assistive equipment (MAE) in the functional mobility assessment and uniform dataset (FMA/UDS) and (2) stratify subpopulations of PwD who reported falling versus those who do not report a fall.Materials and Methods: This study was a retrospective, descriptive cohort analysis of adults with disabilities using the FMA/UDS. Data are collected during a user's initial evaluation for a new mobility device. The sample is intentionally general to be inclusive of all mobility device users. The primary variable of interest was a patient-reported fall within the 3 months leading up to their evaluation for a new mobility device. Subpopulation characteristics were stratified by this binary fall variable.Results and Conclusions: This study provides descriptions of PwDs being evaluated for a new mobility device. There were 11,084 PwDs with 31 different primary diagnoses. During their new mobility device evaluation, 52.2% of PwDs reported at least one fall in the last 3 months. For those who reported a fall, 46.6% of PwDs were using a walking aid or no device at all before the new mobility device evaluation. Additionally, persons with progressively acquired disabilities (i.e., Parkinson's disease, osteoarthritis and cardiopulmonary disease) reported higher rates of falls than those with congenital disabilities (i.e., cerebral palsy and spina bifida). These findings will influence future studies comparing different types of devices and their influence on falls and user satisfaction.Implications for rehabilitation52.2% of persons with disabilities (PwDs) seeking a new wheelchair evaluation reported at least one fall in the last 3 months.Persons with progressively acquired disabilities (i.e., Parkinson's disease, osteoarthritis and cardiopulmonary disease) reported higher rates of falls than those with congenital disabilities (i.e., cerebral palsy and spina bifida).Earlier interventions for fall prevention including professional wheelchair evaluations may be warranted, but further research is necessary to explore long-term effectiveness.

Association between the Hopkins Falls grading scale and motor function tests in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Introduction: One of the main complications of multiple sclerosis (MS) is imbalance and walking problems that can lead to falls. This study investigated the association between a fall measurement scale called the Hopkins Falls Grading Scale (HFGS) and motor function tests in patients with MS. Material and Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted using convenience sampling on 85 patients referred to the MS Association of Mashhad, Iran, in 2023. The HFGS examined falls during the past year and divided them into 4 degrees, and the function test included the timed 25 foot walk (T25FW) test and the timed up and go (TUG) test. Kruskal-Wallis test and Spearman's correlation coefficient were used for data analysis. Results: A statistically significant association was obtained between HFGS and functional tests (T25FW and TUG) (for both P < 0.0001). A significant association was observed between the variables of age (P = 0.006), duration of the disease (P = 0.03), the use of mobility devices (P = 0.05), and HFGS. Conclusion: Considering the association between HFGS and motor function tests in MS patients, clinical experts should pay attention to patients who have slower movement and evaluate them in terms of falling status when performing motor function tests.

Test-retest reliability and minimal detectable change of four functional tests in community-dwelling older adults with high risk of falls.

Objectives: This study aimed to quantify test-retest reliability and minimal detectable change (MDC) of the four commonly used functional tests in older adults with a high risk of falling. Patients and methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted with 30 community-dwelling older adults (26 females, 4 males; mean age: 73.7±6.0 years; range, 65 to 88 years) with a high fall risk identified by the Thai falls risk assessment test between November 2018 and May 2019. Data from the 10-m walk test at a comfortable gait speed (CGS) and fast gait speed (FGS), timed up and go (TUG) test, five times sit to stand test (FTSST), and 6-min walk test (6MWT) were collected twice for each participant. The interval between test sessions was one week. Test-retest reliability was analyzed by the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Standard error of measurement (SEM) and MDC at the 95% confidence interval (MDC95) were also calculated. Results: The four functional tests had ICC in the range of 0.92 to 0.97. The SEM values of the CGS, FGS, TUG, FTSST, and 6MWT were 0.06 m/sec, 0.04 m/sec, 1.10 sec, 1.30 sec, and 20.60 m, respectively. The MDC95 values of the CGS, FGS, TUG, FTSST, and 6MWT were 0.16 m/sec, 0.12 m/sec, 3.00 sec, 3.50 sec, and 57.20 m, respectively. Conclusion: All functional tests demonstrated excellent test-retest reliability. The SEM and MDC95 of all functional tests were established. These findings can help clinicians interpret the effectiveness of interventions and determine changes in functional ability over time in older adults at high risk of falls.

Determinants influencing the implementation of multifactorial falls risk assessment and multidomain interventions in community- dwelling older people: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Multifactorial falls risk assessment and multidomain interventions are recommended by the World guidelines for falls prevention and management. To successfully implement these interventions, it is important to understand determinants influencing the implementation. METHODS: A literature search was conducted for this systematic review on the 3 December 2021 and updated on the 3 April 2023 in five databases: PubMed (including MEDLINE), EMBASE (via Embase.com), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (via Cochrane Library), Web of Science Core Collection and CINAHL (via EBSCO). Studies were included if they reported on determinants influencing the implementation of a multifactorial falls risk assessment and/or multidomain interventions in community-dwelling older people. Editorials, opinion papers, systematic reviews and studies focusing on one population (e.g. Parkinson) were excluded. Two researchers independently screened the articles on title, abstract and full text. The quality was evaluated based on a sensitivity analysis. 'The Comprehensive Integrated Checklist of Determinants of practice' was used to categorise the determinants. RESULTS: Twenty-nine studies were included. Determinants were classified as barriers (n = 40) and facilitators (n = 35). The availability of necessary resources is the most reported determinant. Other commonly reported determinants are knowledge, intention/beliefs and motivation at the levels of older people and healthcare professionals, fitting of the intervention into current practice, communication, team and referral processes and financial (dis)incentives. CONCLUSIONS: Mapping of the barriers and facilitators is essential to choose implementation strategies tailored to the context, and to enhance the uptake and effectiveness of a multifactorial falls risk assessment and/or multidomain interventions.

Relationship between social participation, children's support, and social frailty with falls among older adults in Colombia.

Background: There is limited research on social factors related to falls among older adults. This study assessed the association between falls during the past year with social participation, children's support, relationship with children, and social frailty. Methods: Participants were 17,687 community-dwelling older adults from the SABE (Health, Well-being, and Aging, 2015) Colombia survey. Covariates included sociodemographic characteristics, environmental barriers, psychotropic intake, vision problems, memory loss, multimorbidity, and fear of falling. Results: In multivariate logistic regression analyses, being socially frail (vs. no-frail) was associated with higher odds of falls (OR=1.20; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.10-1.32). Participating in groups (OR=1.07; 95% CI, 1.03-1.11), helping others (OR=1.04; 95% CI, 1.02-1.06), or volunteering (OR=1.09; 95% CI, 1.01-1.17) were also associated with higher odds of falls. These findings were partly explained because most group participants reside in cities where they are more exposed to environmental barriers. In contrast, receiving help, affection, and company from children (OR=0.95; 95% CI, 0.93-0.97) was associated with lower fall odds than not receiving it. Moreover, having a good relationship with children was associated with lower odds of falls (OR=0.75; 95% CI, 0.66-0.85) compared to an unsatisfactory relationship. Conclusion: Support from children and having a good relationship with them were associated with fewer falls; however, social frailty and participation in social groups were associated with more falls.

Root cause analysis and strategies for reducing falls among inpatients in healthcare facilities: A narrative review.

Background and Aims: Root Cause Analysis (RCA) is a systematic process which can be applied to analyze fall incidences in reactive manner to identify contributing factors and propose actions for preventing future falls. To better understand cause of falls and effective interventions for their reduction we conducted a narrative review of RCA and Strategies for Reducing Falls among Inpatients in Healthcare Facilities. Methods: In this narrative review, databases including Scopus, ISI Web of Science, Cochrane, and PubMed were searched to obtain the related literature published. Databases were searched from January 2005 until the end of March 2023. The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) tool was used for quality assessment of articles. To analyze the data, a five-stage framework analysis method was utilized. Results: Seven articles that fulfilled the inclusion criteria were identified for this study. All of the selected studies were interventional in nature and employed the RCA method to ascertain the underlying causes of inpatient falls. The root causes discovered for falls involved patient-related factors (37.5%), environmental factors (25%), organizational and process factors (19.6%), staff and communication factors (17.9%). Strategies to reduce falls involved environmental measures and physical protection (29.4%), identifying, and displaying the causes of risk (23.5%), education and culturalization (21.6%), standard fall risk assessment tool (13.7%), and supervision and monitoring (11.8%). Conclusion: the findings identify the root causes of falls in inpatient units and provide guidance for successful action plan execution. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of considering the unique characteristics of healthcare organizations and adapting interventions accordingly for effectiveness in different settings.

A study on the falls factors among the older adult with cognitive impairment based on large-sample data.

Introduction: This study explored the correlative factors of falls among the older adult with cognitive impairment, to provide distinct evidence for preventing falls in the older adult with cognitive impairment compared with the general older adult population. Methods: This study was based on a cross-sectional survey, with an older adult population of 124,124 was included. The data was sourced from the Elderly Care Unified Needs Assessment for Long-Term Care Insurance in Shanghai. Binary and multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted sequentially on the correlative factors of falls. Multivariable logistic regression was performed on variables that were significant, stratified by cognitive function levels. Results: The incidence of fall in the past 90 days was 17.67% in this study. Specific variables such as gender (male), advanced age (≥80), residence with a elevator (or lift), mild or moderate disability, quality of sleep (acceptable/poor) were negatively correlated with falls, while higher education level, living alone, residence with indoor steps, unclean and untidy living environment, MCI or dementia, chronic diseases, restricted joints, impaired vision, and the use of diaper were positively correlative factors of falls. Comparing with older adult with normal cognitive functions, older adult with dementia faced a higher risk of falling due to accessibility barrier in the residence. For general older adults, less frequency of going outside and poor social interactions were positively correlated with falls, while for older adult with cognitive impairments, going outside moderately (sometimes) was found positively correlated with falls. Older adults with cognitive impairments have increased fall risks associated with chronic diseases, restricted joints, and the use of diaper. The risk of falling escalated with the greater number of chronic diseases. Discussion: For older adult with cognitive impairments, it is advisable to live with others. Additionally, creating an accessible living environment and maintaining the cleanness and tidiness can effectively reduce the risk of falls, particularly for those with MCI or dementia. Optimal outdoor activity plans should be developed separately based on the cognitive function of older adults. Older adult with dementia who have comorbidities should be paid special attention in fall prevention compared to the general older adult population.

Gait balance recovery after tripping: The influence of walking speed and ground inclination on muscle and joint function.

Reactive lower limb muscle function during walking plays a key role in balance recovery following tripping, and ultimately fall prevention. The objective of this study was to evaluate muscle and joint function in the recovery limb during balance recovery after trip-based perturbations during walking. Twenty-four healthy participants underwent gait analysis while walking at slow, moderate and fast speeds over level, uphill and downhill inclines. Trip perturbations were performed randomly during stance, and lower limb kinematics, kinetics, and muscle contribution to the acceleration of the whole-body centre of mass (COM) were computed pre- and post-perturbation in the recovery limb. Ground slope and walking speed had a significant effect on lower limb joint angles, net joint moments and muscle contributions to support and propulsion during trip recovery (p < 0.05). Specifically, increasing walking speed during trip recovery significantly reduced hip extension in the recovery limb and increased knee flexion, particularly when walking uphill and at higher walking speeds (p < 0.05). Gluteus maximus played a critical role in providing support and forward propulsion of the body during trip recovery across all gait speeds and ground inclinations. This study provides a mechanistic link between muscle action, joint motion and COM acceleration during trip recovery, and underscores the potential of increased walking speed and ground inclination to increase fall risk, particularly in individuals prone to falling. The findings of this study may provide guidelines for targeted exercise therapy such as muscle strengthening for fall prevention.

Falls prevention in older people and the role of nursing.

Falls among older individuals pose a significant public health challenge globally, impacting both individual wellbeing and healthcare systems. This article examines the importance of falls prevention in older people and the pivotal role of nursing in this domain. It presents statistics indicating the high prevalence of falls among older adults, highlighting their substantial impact on morbidity, mortality and healthcare costs. Furthermore, it discusses the multifactorial nature of fall risk factors, including age-related changes, chronic health conditions, medication use, impaired mobility, sensory deficits and environmental hazards. Nursing interventions encompass comprehensive assessments, personalised care plans, patient education and advocacy efforts aimed at reducing fall risks and enhancing safety. By addressing intrinsic and extrinsic factors contributing to falls, nurses contribute significantly to improving the quality of life for older adults and reducing the economic burden associated with fall-related injuries.

Review of recently published articles.

Aysha Mendes provides a synopsis and brief review of a selection of recently published research articles that are of interest to community nurses, highlighting key points to keep you up to date; a full reference is provided for those who wish to read the research in more detail.

Force magnitude and distribution during impacts to the hip are affected differentially by body size and body composition.

Hip fractures are a severe health concern among older adults. While anthropometric factors have been shown to influence hip fracture risk, the low fidelity of common body composition metrics (e.g. body mass index) reduces our ability to infer underlying mechanisms. While simulation approaches can be used to explore how body composition influences impact dynamics, there is value in experimental data with human volunteers to support the advancement of computational modeling efforts. Accordingly, the goal of this study was to use a novel combination of subject-specific clinical imaging and laboratory-based impact paradigms to assess potential relationships between high-fidelity body composition and impact dynamics metrics (including load magnitude and distribution and pelvis deflection) during sideways falls on the hip in human volunteers. Nineteen females (<35 years) participated. Body composition was assessed via DXA and ultrasound. Participants underwent low-energy (but clinically relevant) sideways falls on the hip during which impact kinetics (total peak force, contract area, peak pressure) and pelvis deformation were measured. Pearson correlations assessed potential relationships between body composition and impact characteristics. Peak force was more strongly correlated with total mass (r = 0.712) and lean mass indices (r = 0.510-0.713) than fat mass indices (r = 0.401-0.592). Peak deflection was positively correlated with indices of adiposity (all r > 0.7), but not of lean mass. Contact area and peak pressure were positively and negatively associated, respectively, with indices of adiposity (all r > 0.49). Trochanteric soft tissue thickness predicted 59 % of the variance in both variables, and was the single strongest correlate with peak pressure. In five-of-eight comparisons, hip-local (vs. whole body) anthropometrics were more highly associated with impact dynamics. In summary, fall-related impact dynamics were strongly associated with body composition, providing support for subject-specific lateral pelvis load prediction models that incorporate soft tissue characteristics. Integrating soft and skeletal tissue properties may have important implications for improving the biomechanical effectiveness of engineering-based protective products.

Evaluating fall event definitions relative to lower limb prosthesis users' lived experiences.

PURPOSE: Evaluate specific elements of previously proposed fall and near-fall definitions to determine whether they fully capture lower limb prosthesis (LLP) users' lived experiences. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 24 LLP users. Interview transcripts were reviewed, coded, and analyzed using deductive thematic analysis to identify shared experiences and inform revisions to previously reported definitions. RESULTS: Four major themes emerged: a fall can be initiated by more than just a loss of balance, loss of balance and losing balance are considered similar, falls are not limited to landing on the ground or floor, and catching yourself and recovering your balance are distinct responses to a loss of balance. CONCLUSIONS: Two revisions were made to previous definitions to better align with LLP users' experiences and historically overlooked fall circumstances. A fall is defined as a loss of balance or sudden loss of support where your body lands on the ground, floor, or another object. A near-fall was defined as a loss of balance where you caught yourself or recovered your balance without landing on the ground, floor, or another object. Implementation of these new definitions will aid the collection of accurate, consistent, and meaningful fall data, enhancing aggregation and comparison across studies.

Falls are a top health concern for lower limb prosthesis users.Understanding how lower limb prosthesis users experience falls helps build meaningful fall definitions.Standardized definitions allow clinicians to document fall events with greater consistency and justify fall prevention interventions.

Aberrant decision-making as a risk factor for falls in aging.

Neuromotor impairments resulting from natural aging and aging-related diseases are often accompanied by a heightened prevalence of falls and fall-related injuries. Conventionally, the study of factors contributing to falls focuses on intrinsic characteristics, such as sensorimotor processing delays and weakness, and extrinsic factors, such as environmental obstacles. However, the impact of these factors only becomes evident in response to people's decisions about how and where they will move in their environment. This decision-making process can be considered a behavioral risk factor, and it influences the extent to which a person engages in activities that place them near the limits of their capacity. While there are readily available tools for assessing intrinsic and extrinsic fall risk, our understanding of how to assess behavioral risk is limited. Measuring behavioral risk requires a systematic assessment of how people make decisions when walking in complex environments and how these decisions relate to their functional capacity. We propose that experimental methods and computational models derived from behavioral economics can stimulate the development of such assessments. Behavioral economics relies on theoretical models and empirical studies to characterize the factors that influence how people make decisions under risky conditions where a given decision can have variable outcomes. Applying a behavioral economic approach to walking can provide insight into how internal assessment of one's fall risk influences the tasks that one is willing to perform. Ultimately, these assessments will allow us to identify people who make choices that increase their likelihood of fall-related injuries.

Activity and Participation Are Associated with Future Falls, Hospitalizations, and Emergency Visits in Community-Dwelling Older Adults.

OBJECTIVE: Activity and participation are important for older adults as they are associated with well-being and quality of life. Falls, emergency department (ED) visits, and hospitalizations are adverse health outcomes that impact older adults. Limited research has investigated whether measurement of activity and participation are related to adverse health events in community dwelling older adults. This study sought to examine the association between activity and participation with falls, ED visits, and hospitalization over 1 year in community dwelling older adults. METHODS: A secondary analysis of a longitudinal clinical trial of 341 community dwelling older adults was conducted. The sample mean age was 80.9 (SD = 7.7) years and 83% were female. One-year risk of falls was associated with baseline Late Life Function and Disability Instrument (LLFDI) components of overall function and disability (frequency and limitations dimensions). Incident rate ratios (IRRs) and 95% CIs were calculated. RESULTS: For each 5-point higher score (clinically meaningful difference) in activity as measured by LLFDI-overall function (adjusted for age, race, sex, comorbidities and fall history), there was an 18% lower rate of falls (IRR = 0.82, 95% CI = 0.74-0.92); 12% reduction in hospitalizations (IRR = 0.88; 95% CI = 0.77-0.99); and 11% lower rate of emergency room visits (IRR = 0.89, 95% CI = 0.81-0.98). Greater participation as measured by the LLFDI limitations dimension was related to fewer falls (IRR = 0.93, 95% CI = 0.87-1.00) and hospitalizations (IRR = 0.91, 95% CI = 0.83-0.99). CONCLUSION: Greater activity and participation are associated with a lower incidence of falls, ED visits, and hospitalizations representing an important consideration for targeted physical therapist interventions. IMPACT STATEMENT: Physical therapists are uniquely positioned to identify and address reduced activity and participation. If activity and participation are specifically targeted and improved through physical therapy, undesirable distal health outcomes might be prevented or minimized.

Greater activity and participation were found to be related to lower rate of falls, ED visits, and hospitalizations in a sample of 341 older adults who lived in the community.

Pediatric head and neck trauma in the United States: Trends, risk factors and outcomes using the National Trauma Data Bank.

Introduction: Pediatric head and neck (HN) trauma is an important contributor to pediatric morbidity, resulting in significant downstream consequences. Few studies provide epidemiological predictors of pediatric HN trauma on a national scale. The present study aims to identify risk factors of HN injury and mortality in the pediatric population. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted for patients (age <18 years) using the US National Trauma Data Bank (NTDB 2007-2019). Demographic, injury, and physiologic outcome data were analyzed. HN injury was defined as a head or neck Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) >0. Logistic regression identified independent predictors of mortality following HN trauma. Results: Of the 1.42 million pediatric patients analyzed, 44.05% had HN injury. In patients aged 0-4, the most common mechanism was falls (47.67% in this age group) while in ages 14-17, motor vehicle/transport accidents (MVTs) were the most common mechanism (56.06%). Controlling for demographics, comorbidities, and injury severity, HN injury was associated with increased odds of mortality (OR 2.404, 95% CI 1.530-3.778). HN injury mortality was strongly predicted by firearm exposure (OR 11.28, 95% CI 6.074-20.95), age <4 (OR 1.179, 95% CI 1.071-1.299), and self-insured status (OR 1.977, 95% CI 1.811-2.157). Conclusion: NTDB data demonstrate that the percentage of pediatric patients with HN trauma has decreased over the past 12 years although is associated with increased odds of mortality. Age and insurance status predicted mortality from HN trauma, with falls and MVTs being the most common mechanisms of injury. These data have implications for future public health efforts in this patient population. Level of Evidence: 3.

Exergames for falls prevention in sheltered homes: a feasibility study.

Introduction: Falls prevention is a global priority given its substantial impact on older adults and cost to healthcare systems. Advances in telerehabilitation technology such as `exergaming' show potential for delivering accessible, engaging exercise programs for older adults. This study aimed to establish the feasibility, acceptability and usability of exergaming in sheltered housing. Methods: A mixed-methods study with participants randomised in 2 sheltered housing facilities to intervention (n = 1 home, 12 participants) and control (n = 1 home 2, 12 participants) provided usual care for all, (physiotherapy prescribed strength and balance exercises and falls prevention advice) and a 6-week supervised exergaming programme (MIRA) offered 3 times per week to the intervention group only. At 6 weeks, feasibility, usability and acceptability outcomes were collected and analysed using descriptive statistics; qualitative focus groups with participants and interviews with staff were also completed and thematically analysed to elicit barriers and facilitators to usability and acceptability. Results: Mean exercise per week increased from 10.6 to 14.1 minutes in the control group and 9.6 to 36.8 minutes in the intervention group. All study processes and measures appeared feasible; 72% of those invited consented to taking part and 92% completed 6-week follow-up. Individual domains for the System Usability Scores (SUS) showed participants felt `very confident' using the system with support (70%), would `like to use exergames frequently' (50%) and found the system `easy to use' (90%). However, they also felt they `needed to learn a lot at the beginning' (40%) and would `need technical support' (70%) for independent use of the exergames. Mean overall SUS was 63 reflecting moderate usability for independent use. Qualitative data indicated exergames were well received and highlighted motivational and social aspects; costs and set up. Staff also felt exergaming complemented traditional care. Discussion: Our study contributes to the evidence guiding the use of exergames to deliver suitable falls prevention interventions for older adults within sheltered housing in community settings.

Influence of test paradigm on loading dynamics during proximal femur fracture tests simulating sideways falls.

Fall-related hip fractures are a serious public health issue in older adults. As most mechanistic hip fracture risk prediction models incorporate tissue tolerance, test methods that can accurately characterize the fracture force of the femur (and factors that influence it) are imperative. While bone possesses viscoelastic properties, experimental characterization of rate-dependencies has been inconsistent in the whole-femur literature. The goal of this study was to investigate the influence of experimental paradigm on loading rate and fracture force (both means and variability) during mechanical tests simulating lateral fall loadings on the proximal femur. Six pairs of matched femurs were split randomly between two test paradigms: a 'lower rate' materials testing system (MTS) with a constant displacement rate of 60 mm/s, and a hip impact test system (HIT) comprised of a custom-built vertical drop tower utilizing an impact velocity of 4 m/s. The loading rate was 88-fold higher for the HIT (mean (SD) = 2465.49 (807.38) kN/s) compared to the MTS (27.78 (10.03) kN/s) paradigm. However, no difference in fracture force was observed between test paradigms (mean (SD) = 4096.4 (1272.6) N for HIT, and 3641.3 (1285.8) N for MTS). Within-paradigm variability was not significantly different across paradigms for either loading rate or fracture force (coefficients of variation ranging from 0.311 to 0.361). Within each test paradigm, significant positive relationships were observed between loading rate and fracture force (HIT adjusted R2 = 0.833, p = 0.007; MTS adjusted R2 = 0.983, p < 0.0001). Overall, this study provides evidence that energy-based impact simulators can be a valid method to measure femoral bone strength in the context of fall-related hip fractures. This study motivates future research to characterize potential non-linear relationships between loading rate and fracture threshold at both macro and microscales.

'You Just Struggle on Your Own': Exploring Older People and Their Caregivers' Perspectives About Falls Prevention Education in Hospitals.

BACKGROUND: Providing older patients with an opportunity to participate in individualised falls preventive education, has been shown to reduce hospital falls. However, few studies have explored older peoples' perspectives of hospital falls prevention education. This study aimed to explore older people and their caregivers' knowledge and awareness about hospital falls prevention, including their reflections on the education they received when hospitalised. METHODS: A qualitative, exploratory study with focus groups and semistructured interviews was conducted. Participants were a purposively selected sample of community-dwelling older people (65+ years) admitted to a hospital in the past 5 years and caregivers of older people. Data were thematically analysed using deductive and inductive approaches, and a capability-opportunity-motivation-behaviour model was applied to understand key determinants of implementing falls education for hospitalised older people. RESULTS: Participants' [n = 46 (older people n = 37, age range 60-89 years), caregivers n = 9] feedback identified five themes: distress and disempowerment if the participant did have a hospital fall or nearly fell, anxiety and uncertainty about what behaviour was required while in hospital, insufficient and inconsistent falls prevention education, inadequate communication and underlying attitudes of ageism. Applying a behaviour change model suggested that older people and their caregivers did not develop falls prevention knowledge, awareness or motivation to engage in falls prevention behaviour. Older people were also provided with limited opportunities to engage in falls preventive behaviour while in hospital. CONCLUSION: Older people in our study received sporadic education about falls prevention during their hospital admissions which did not raise their awareness and knowledge about the risk of falls or their capability to engage in safe falls preventive behaviour. Conflicting messages may result in older people feeling confused and anxious about staying safe in hospital.