Fostering trust and sharing responsibility to increase access to dementia care for immigrant older adults.

Objectives: This paper explores the role of immigrant-serving agencies in facilitating access to dementia services and supports provided by dementia service agencies (particularly the health authority and local chapters of the Alzheimer Society) through their propensity to develop trusting relationships between staff and clients.Design: Our research is a qualitative case study of Punjabi and Korean speakers living in the Lower Mainland of BC, Canada. Data are drawn from interviews with 15 dyads of persons with dementia and their family caregivers (10 Punjabi, 5 Korean), six focus groups (one focus group with each of 8-10 older men, older women, and mixed gender working age adults in each community). We also interviewed 20 managerial and frontline staff of dementia service agencies, i.e. the health authority and the local Alzheimer Society (n = 11) and two immigrant-serving agencies (n = 9), each dedicated to either Punjabi or Korean-speaking clients. We adopted the Candidacy framework for understanding access to dementia services and supports and the concept of trust as guiding precepts in this study.Results: Families of persons with dementia are pivotal to identification of a problem requiring professional help, navigation to appropriate services and acceptance of services offered. However, trust in family members should not be taken for granted, since family dynamics are complex. Alternative sources of trusted support are therefore needed. Immigrant-serving agencies are more often instrumental in establishing trusted relationships between their staff and clients, but they often lack detailed knowledge about heath conditions, their treatment and management, and they lack power to implement statutory care.Conclusions: Partnerships between mainstream mental health/dementia services and the community sector have proven successful in increasing the accessibility of specialized resources, while maximizing their combined trustworthiness, accessibility and effectiveness. Such partnerships should become fundamental components of health service strategy and provision for vulnerable and underserved immigrant older adults.

The Flooring for Injury Prevention (FLIP) Study of compliant flooring for the prevention of fall-related injuries in long-term care: A randomized trial.

BACKGROUND: Fall-related injuries exert an enormous health burden on older adults in long-term care (LTC). Softer landing surfaces, such as those provided by low-stiffness "compliant" flooring, may prevent fall-related injuries by decreasing the forces applied to the body during fall impact. Our primary objective was to assess the clinical effectiveness of compliant flooring at preventing serious fall-related injuries among LTC residents. METHODS AND FINDINGS: The Flooring for Injury Prevention (FLIP) Study was a 4-year, randomized superiority trial in 150 single-occupancy resident rooms at a single Canadian LTC site. In April 2013, resident rooms were block randomized (1:1) to installation of intervention compliant flooring (2.54 cm SmartCells) or rigid control flooring (2.54 cm plywood) covered with identical hospital-grade vinyl. The primary outcome was serious fall-related injury over 4 years that required an emergency department visit or hospital admission and a treatment procedure or diagnostic evaluation in hospital. Secondary outcomes included minor fall-related injury, any fall-related injury, falls, and fracture. Outcomes were ascertained by blinded assessors between September 1, 2013 and August 31, 2017 and analyzed by intention to treat. Adverse outcomes were not assessed. During follow-up, 184 residents occupied 74 intervention rooms, and 173 residents occupied 76 control rooms. Residents were 64.3% female with mean (SD) baseline age 81.7 (9.5) years (range 51.1 to 104.6 years), body mass index 25.9 (7.7) kg/m2, and follow-up 1.64 (1.39) years. 1,907 falls were reported; 23 intervention residents experienced 38 serious injuries (from 29 falls in 22 rooms), while 23 control residents experienced 47 serious injuries (from 34 falls in 23 rooms). Compliant flooring did not affect odds of ≥1 serious fall-related injury (12.5% intervention versus 13.3% control, odds ratio [OR]: 0.98, 95% CI: 0.52 to 1.84, p = 0.950) or ≥2 serious fall-related injuries (5.4% versus 7.5%, OR: 0.74, 95% CI: 0.31 to 1.75, p = 0.500). Compliant flooring did not affect rate of serious fall-related injuries (0.362 versus 0.422 per 1,000 bed nights, rate ratio [RR]: 1.04, 95% CI: 0.45 to 2.39, p = 0.925; 0.038 versus 0.053 per fall, RR: 0.81, 95% CI: 0.38 to 1.71, p = 0.560), rate of falls with ≥1 serious fall-related injury (0.276 versus 0.303 per 1,000 bed nights, RR: 0.97, 95% CI: 0.52 to 1.79, p = 0.920), or time to first serious fall-related injury (0.237 versus 0.257, hazard ratio [HR]: 0.92, 95% CI: 0.52 to 1.62, p = 0.760). Compliant flooring did not affect any secondary outcome in this study. Study limitations included the following: findings were specific to 2.54 cm SmartCells compliant flooring installed in LTC resident rooms, standard fall and injury prevention interventions were in use throughout the study and may have influenced the observed effect of compliant flooring, and challenges with concussion detection in LTC residents may have prevented estimation of the effect of compliant flooring on fall-related concussions. CONCLUSIONS: In contrast to results from previous retrospective and nonrandomized studies, this study found that compliant flooring underneath hospital-grade vinyl was not effective at preventing serious fall-related injuries in LTC. Future studies are needed to identify effective methods for preventing fall-related injuries in LTC. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01618786.

Quality improvement strategies to prevent falls in older adults: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Falls are a common occurrence and the most effective quality improvement (QI) strategies remain unclear. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review and network meta-analysis (NMA) to elucidate effective quality improvement (QI) strategies for falls prevention. Multiple databases were searched (inception-April 2017). We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of falls prevention QI strategies for participants aged ≥65 years. Two investigators screened titles and abstracts, full-text articles, conducted data abstraction and appraised risk of bias independently. RESULTS: A total of 126 RCTs including 84,307 participants were included after screening 10,650 titles and abstracts and 1210 full-text articles. NMA including 29 RCTs and 26,326 patients found that team changes was statistically superior in reducing the risk of injurious falls relative to usual care (odds ratio [OR] 0.57 [0.33 to 0.99]; absolute risk difference [ARD] -0.11 [95% CI, -0.18 to -0.002]). NMA for the outcome of number of fallers including 61 RCTs and 40 128 patients found that combined case management, patient reminders and staff education (OR 0.18 [0.07 to 0.47]; ARD -0.27 [95% CI, -0.33 to -0.15]) and combined case management and patient reminders (OR, 0.36 [0.13 to 0.97]; ARD -0.19 [95% CI, -0.30 to -0.01]) were both statistically superior compared to usual care. CONCLUSIONS: Team changes may reduce risk of injurious falls and a combination of case management, patient reminders, and staff education, as well as case management and patient reminders may reduce risk of falls. Our results can be tailored to decision-maker preferences and availability of resources. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO (CRD42013004151).

Validation and psychometric properties of the commitment to hip protectors (C-HiP) index in long-term care providers of British Columbia, Canada: a cross-sectional survey.

BACKGROUND: If worn during a fall, hip protectors substantially reduce risk for hip fracture. However, a major barrier to their clinical efficacy is poor user adherence. In long-term care, adherence likely depends on how committed care providers are to hip protectors, but empirical evidence is lacking due to the absence of a psychometrically valid assessment tool. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional survey in a convenience sample of 529 paid care providers. We developed the 15-item C-HiP Index to measure commitment, comprised of three subscales: affective, cognitive and behavioural. Responses were subjected to hierarchical factor analysis and internal consistency testing. Eleven experts rated the relevance and clarity of items on 4-point Likert scales. We performed simple linear regression to determine whether C-HiP Index scores were positively related to the question, "Do you think of yourself as a champion of hip protectors", rated on a 5-point Likert scale. We examined whether the C-HiP Index could differentiate respondents: (i) who were aware of a protected fall causing hip fracture from those who were unaware; (ii) who agreed in the existence of a champion of hip protectors within their home from those who didn't. RESULTS: Hierarchical factor analysis yielded two lower-order factors and a single higher-order factor, representing the overarching concept of commitment to hip protectors. Items from affective and cognitive subscales loaded highest on the first lower-order factor, while items from the behavioural subscale loaded highest on the second. We eliminated one item due to low factor matrix coefficients, and poor expert evaluation. The C-HiP Index had a Cronbach's alpha of 0.96. A one-unit increase in championing was associated with a 5.2-point (p < 0.01) increase in C-HiP Index score. Median C-HiP Index scores were 4.3-points lower (p < 0.01) among respondents aware of a protected fall causing hip fracture, and 7.0-points higher (p < 0.01) among respondents who agreed in the existence of a champion of hip protectors within their home. CONCLUSIONS: We offer evidence of the psychometric properties of the C-HiP Index. The development of a valid and reliable assessment tool is crucial to understanding the factors that govern adherence to hip protectors in long-term care.

Clinical Risk Factors for Head Impact During Falls in Older Adults: A Prospective Cohort Study in Long-Term Care.

OBJECTIVE: To examine risk factors associated with head impact during falls in older adults in long-term care (LTC). SETTING: Two LTC facilities in British Columbia, Canada. PARTICIPANTS: 160 LTC residents. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. MAIN MEASURES: Between 2007 and 2014, we video captured 520 falls experienced by participants. Each fall video was analyzed to determine whether impact occurred to the head. Using generalized estimating equation models, we examined how head impact was associated with other fall characteristics and health status prior to the fall. RESULTS: Head impact occurred in 33% of falls. Individuals with mild cognitive impairment were at higher risk for head impact (odds ratio = 2.8; 95% confidence interval, 1.5-5.0) than those with more severe cognitive impairment. Impaired vision was associated with 2.0-fold (1.3-3.0) higher odds of head impact. Women were 2.2 times (1.4-3.3) more likely than men to impact their head during a fall. CONCLUSION: Head impact is common during falls in LTC, with less cognitively impaired, female residents who suffered from visual impairment, being most likely to impact their head. Future research should focus on improving our ability to detect neural consequences of head impact and evaluating the effect of interventions for reducing the risk for fall-related head injuries in LTC.

Comparisons of Interventions for Preventing Falls in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Importance: Falls result in substantial burden for patients and health care systems, and given the aging of the population worldwide, the incidence of falls continues to rise. Objective: To assess the potential effectiveness of interventions for preventing falls. Data Sources: MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Ageline databases from inception until April 2017. Reference lists of included studies were scanned. Study Selection: Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) of fall-prevention interventions for participants aged 65 years and older. Data Extraction and Synthesis: Pairs of reviewers independently screened the studies, abstracted data, and appraised risk of bias. Pairwise meta-analysis and network meta-analysis were conducted. Main Outcomes and Measures: Injurious falls and fall-related hospitalizations. Results: A total of 283 RCTs (159 910 participants; mean age, 78.1 years; 74% women) were included after screening of 10 650 titles and abstracts and 1210 full-text articles. Network meta-analysis (including 54 RCTs, 41 596 participants, 39 interventions plus usual care) suggested that the following interventions, when compared with usual care, were associated with reductions in injurious falls: exercise (odds ratio [OR], 0.51 [95% CI, 0.33 to 0.79]; absolute risk difference [ARD], -0.67 [95% CI, -1.10 to -0.24]); combined exercise and vision assessment and treatment (OR, 0.17 [95% CI, 0.07 to 0.38]; ARD, -1.79 [95% CI, -2.63 to -0.96]); combined exercise, vision assessment and treatment, and environmental assessment and modification (OR, 0.30 [95% CI, 0.13 to 0.70]; ARD, -1.19 [95% CI, -2.04 to -0.35]); and combined clinic-level quality improvement strategies (eg, case management), multifactorial assessment and treatment (eg, comprehensive geriatric assessment), calcium supplementation, and vitamin D supplementation (OR, 0.12 [95% CI, 0.03 to 0.55]; ARD, -2.08 [95% CI, -3.56 to -0.60]). Pairwise meta-analyses for fall-related hospitalizations (2 RCTs; 516 participants) showed no significant association between combined clinic- and patient-level quality improvement strategies and multifactorial assessment and treatment relative to usual care (OR, 0.78 [95% CI, 0.33 to 1.81]). Conclusions and Relevance: Exercise alone and various combinations of interventions were associated with lower risk of injurious falls compared with usual care. Choice of fall-prevention intervention may depend on patient and caregiver values and preferences.

Study protocol for the Flooring for Injury Prevention (FLIP) Study: a randomised controlled trial in long-term care.

BACKGROUND: A promising strategy for reducing the incidence and severity of fall-related injuries in long-term care (LTC) is to decrease the ground surface stiffness, and the subsequent forces applied to the body parts at impact, through installation of compliant flooring that does not substantially affect balance or mobility. Definitive evidence of the effects of compliant flooring on fall-related injuries in LTC is lacking. The Flooring for Injury Prevention (FLIP) Study is designed to address this gap. METHODS: The FLIP Study is a 4-year, parallel-group, 2-arm, randomised controlled superiority trial of flooring in 150 resident rooms at a LTC site. The primary objective is to determine whether compliant flooring reduces serious fall-related injuries relative to control flooring. Intervention (2.54 cm SmartCells compliant; 74 rooms) and control (2.54 cm plywood; 76 rooms) floorings were installed over the top of existing concrete floors and covered with identical 2.00 mm vinyl. The primary outcome is serious fall-related injury, defined as any impact-related injury due to a fall in a study room that results in Emergency Department visit or hospital admission. Secondary outcomes include minor fall-related injury, any fall-related injury, falls, number of fallers, fractures, and healthcare utilisation and costs for serious fall-related injuries. Randomisation of study rooms, and residents in rooms, was stratified by residential unit, and flooring assignments were concealed. Outcome ascertainment began September 2013. DISCUSSION: Results from the FLIP Study will provide evidence about the effects of compliant flooring on fall-related injuries in LTC and will guide development of safer environments for vulnerable older adults. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT01618786.

External Hand Forces Exerted by Long-Term Care Staff to Push Floor-Based Lifts: Effects of Flooring System and Resident Weight.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of flooring type and resident weight on external hand forces required to push floor-based lifts in long-term care (LTC). BACKGROUND: Novel compliant flooring is designed to reduce fall-related injuries among LTC residents but may increase forces required for staff to perform pushing tasks. A motorized lift may offset the effect of flooring on push forces. METHOD: Fourteen female LTC staff performed straight-line pushes with two floor-based lifts (conventional, motor driven) loaded with passengers of average and 90th-percentile resident weights over four flooring systems (concrete+vinyl, compliant+vinyl, concrete+carpet, compliant+carpet). Initial and sustained push forces were measured by a handlebar-mounted triaxial load cell and compared to participant-specific tolerance limits. Participants rated pushing difficulty. RESULTS: Novel compliant flooring increased initial and sustained push forces and subjective ratings compared to concrete flooring. Compared to the conventional lift, the motor-driven lift substantially reduced initial and sustained push forces and perceived difficulty of pushing for all four floors and both resident weights. Participants exerted forces above published tolerance limits only when using the conventional lift on the carpet conditions (concrete+carpet, compliant+carpet). With the motor-driven lift only, resident weight did not affect push forces. CONCLUSION: Novel compliant flooring increased linear push forces generated by LTC staff using floor-based lifts, but forces did not exceed tolerance limits when pushing over compliant+vinyl. The motor-driven lift substantially reduced push forces compared to the conventional lift. APPLICATION: Results may help to address risk of work-related musculoskeletal injury, especially in locations with novel compliant flooring.

Video capture of the circumstances of falls in elderly people residing in long-term care: an observational study.

BACKGROUND: Falls in elderly people are a major health burden, especially in the long-term care environment. Yet little objective evidence is available for how and why falls occur in this population. We aimed to provide such evidence by analysing real-life falls in long-term care captured on video. METHODS: We did this observational study between April 20, 2007, and June 23, 2010, in two long-term care facilities in British Columbia, Canada. Digital video cameras were installed in common areas (dining rooms, lounges, hallways). When a fall occurred, facility staff completed an incident report and contacted our teams so that we could collect video footage. A team reviewed each fall video with a validated questionnaire that probed the cause of imbalance and activity at the time of falling. We then tested whether differences existed in the proportion of participants falling due to the various causes, and while engaging in various activities, with generalised linear models, repeated measures logistic regression, and log-linear Poisson regression. FINDINGS: We captured 227 falls from 130 individuals (mean age 78 years, SD 10). The most frequent cause of falling was incorrect weight shifting, which accounted for 41% (93 of 227) of falls, followed by trip or stumble (48, 21%), hit or bump (25, 11%), loss of support (25, 11%), and collapse (24, 11%). Slipping accounted for only 3% (six) of falls. The three activities associated with the highest proportion of falls were forward walking (54 of 227 falls, 24%), standing quietly (29 falls, 13%), and sitting down (28 falls, 12%). Compared with previous reports from the long-term care setting, we identified a higher occurrence of falls during standing and transferring, a lower occurrence during walking, and a larger proportion due to centre-of-mass perturbations than base-of-support perturbations. INTERPRETATION: By providing insight into the sequences of events that most commonly lead to falls, our results should lead to more valid and effective approaches for balance assessment and fall prevention in long-term care. FUNDING: Canadian Institutes for Health Research.

An educational video to promote multi-factorial approaches for fall and injury prevention in long-term care facilities.

BACKGROUND: Older adults living in long term care (LTC) settings are vulnerable to fall-related injuries. There is a need to develop and implement evidence-based approaches to address fall injury prevention in LTC. Knowledge translation (KT) interventions to support the uptake of evidence-based approaches to fall injury prevention in LTC need to be responsive to the learning needs of LTC staff and use mediums, such as videos, that are accessible and easy-to-use. This article describes the development of two unique educational videos to promote fall injury prevention in long-term care (LTC) settings. These videos are unique from other fall prevention videos in that they include video footage of real life falls captured in the LTC setting. METHODS: Two educational videos were developed (2012-2013) to support the uptake of findings from a study exploring the causes of falls based on video footage captured in LTC facilities. The videos were developed by: (1) conducting learning needs assessment in LTC settings via six focus groups (2) liaising with LTC settings to identify learning priorities through unstructured conversations; and (3) aligning the content with principles of adult learning theory. RESULTS: The videos included footage of falls, interviews with older adults and fall injury prevention experts. The videos present evidence-based fall injury prevention recommendations aligned to the needs of LTC staff and: (1) highlight recommendations deemed by LTC staff as most urgent (learner-centered learning); (2) highlight negative impacts of falls on older adults (encourage meaning-making); and, (3) prompt LTC staff to reflect on fall injury prevention practices (encourage critical reflection). CONCLUSIONS: Educational videos are an important tool available to researchers seeking to translate evidence-based recommendations into LTC settings. Additional research is needed to determine their impact on practice.

Prevalence of and factors associated with head impact during falls in older adults in long-term care.

BACKGROUND: Falls cause more than 60% of head injuries in older adults. Lack of objective evidence on the circumstances of these events is a barrier to prevention. We analyzed video footage to determine the frequency of and risk factors for head impact during falls in older adults in 2 long-term care facilities. METHODS: Over 39 months, we captured on video 227 falls involving 133 residents. We used a validated questionnaire to analyze the mechanisms of each fall. We then examined whether the probability for head impact was associated with upper-limb protective responses (hand impact) and fall direction. RESULTS: Head impact occurred in 37% of falls, usually onto a vinyl or linoleum floor. Hand impact occurred in 74% of falls but had no significant effect on the probability of head impact (p = 0.3). An increased probability of head impact was associated with a forward initial fall direction, compared with backward falls (odds ratio [OR] 2.7, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.3-5.9) or sideways falls (OR 2.8, 95% CI 1.2-6.3). In 36% of sideways falls, residents rotated to land backwards, which reduced the probability of head impact (OR 0.2, 95% CI 0.04-0.8). INTERPRETATION: Head impact was common in observed falls in older adults living in long-term care facilities, particularly in forward falls. Backward rotation during descent appeared to be protective, but hand impact was not. Attention to upper-limb strength and teaching rotational falling techniques (as in martial arts training) may reduce fall-related head injuries in older adults.

Development and validation of a questionnaire for analyzing real-life falls in long-term care captured on video.

BACKGROUND: Falls are the number one cause of injuries in older adults, and are particularly common in long-term care (LTC). Lack of objective evidence on the mechanisms of falls in this setting is a major barrier to prevention. Video capture of real-life falls can help to address this barrier, if valid tools are available for data analysis. To address this need, we developed a 24-item fall video analysis questionnaire (FVAQ) to probe key biomechanical, behavioural, situational, and environmental aspects of the initiation, descent, and impact stages of falls. We then tested the reliability of this tool using video footage of falls collected in LTC. METHODS: Over three years, we video-captured 221 falls experienced by 130 individuals in common areas (e.g., dining rooms, hallways, and lounges) of two LTC facilities. The FVAQ was developed through literature review and an iterative process to ensure our responses captured the most common behaviours observed in preliminary review of fall videos. Inter-rater reliability was assessed by comparing responses from two teams, each having three members, who reviewed 15 randomly-selected videos. Intra-rater reliability was measured by comparing responses from one team at baseline and 12 months later. RESULTS: In 17 of the 24 questions, the percentage of inter- and intra-rater agreement was over 80% and the Cohen's Kappa was greater than 0.60, reflecting good reliability. These included questions on the cause of imbalance, activity at the time of the fall, fall direction, stepping responses, and impact to specific body sites. Poorer agreement was observed for footwear, contribution of clutter, reach-to-grasp responses, and perceived site of injury risk. CONCLUSIONS: Our results provide strong evidence of the reliability of the FVAQ for classifying biomechanical, behavioural, situational, and environmental aspects of falls captured on video in common areas in LTC. Application of this tool should reveal new and important strategies for the prevention and treatment of falls and fall-related injuries in this setting.

Impact of Playground Shade Structures on Ultraviolet Radiation Exposure and Physical Activity among Children at a Childcare Facility.

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in Canada, and rates continue to rise. While sunscreen and protective clothing remain critical strategies to reduce skin cancer risk, shade is generally the most effective way to control exposure. There remains a lack of data, particularly in British Columbia (BC), demonstrating the extent to which shade availability reduces ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure in a real-world setting and the potential impacts of shade provision on physical activity. We evaluated the impact of shade structures on UVR exposure and physical activity at a Vancouver-area childcare center with an outdoor play area with limited existing shade. 22 children, aged 3-5 years, participated in the study. Three removable shade sails were installed in the outdoor play space, and UVR and physical activity measurements were collected during the spring, summer, and fall months. Ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation data was measured using UVB dosimeters, and physical activity data was measured using accelerometers. Data were collected during each season over a total of four days-two days with shade sails installed and two days with shade sails removed. Overall, with shade installation, UVR exposures and physical activity levels among children were reduced by 50% and 20%, respectively. This study supports the use of shade sails to significantly reduce UVR exposures among preschool-aged children in BC; however, the potential for decreased physical activity from shade sails should be further explored in future research.

Developing a fall prevention intervention economic model.

PURPOSE: Model-based economic evaluations require conceptualization of the model structure. Our objectives were to identify important health states, events, and patient attributes to be included in a model-based cost-effectiveness analysis of fall prevention interventions, to develop a model structure to examine cost-effectiveness of fall prevention interventions, and to assess the face validity of the model structure. METHODS: An expert panel comprising clinicians, health service researchers, health economists, a patient partner, and policy makers completed two rounds of online surveys to gain consensus on health states, events, and patient attributes important for fall prevention interventions. The surveys were informed by a literature search on fall prevention interventions for older adults (≥65 years) including economic evaluations and clinical practice guidelines. The results of the Delphi surveys and subsequent discussions can support the face validity of a state-transition model for an economic evaluation of fall prevention interventions. RESULTS: In total, 11 experts rated 24 health states/events and 41 patient attributes. Consensus was achieved on 14 health states/events and 26 patient characteristics. The proposed model structure incorporated 12 of the 14 selected health states/events. Panelists confirmed the face validity of the model structure during teleconferences. CONCLUSIONS: There is a dearth of studies presenting the model conceptualization process; consequently, this study involving multiple end user partners with opportunities for input at several stages adds to the literature as another case study. This process is an example of how a fall prevention economic model was developed using a modified Delphi process and assessed for face validity.

Comparative effectiveness of exercise interventions for preventing falls in older adults: A secondary analysis of a systematic review with network meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Systematic reviews have established that exercise reduces falls in older adults, however the most effective types of exercise are not known. This secondary analysis determined the comparative effectiveness of fall prevention exercise approaches. METHOD: All fall prevention exercise interventions for older adults were identified from an existing search from inception until April 2017. Interventions were coded using a framework of 25 exercise types. Two reviewers independently screened studies, extracted data, and appraised risk of bias. Pairwise meta-analysis and network meta-analysis (NMA) were conducted. P-scores were used to rank exercise combinations. RESULTS: One hundred and sixty-nine studies were included. NMA was conducted on 73 studies (30,697 participants) for the outcome of number of fallers. The exercise combination ranked with the greatest likelihood of being most effective relative to no exercise was: anticipatory control, dynamic stability, functional stability limits, reactive control and flexibility (p-score = 0.95). This exercise combination also significantly reduced number of fallers compared to 16 other combinations. No exercise combination had a significantly greater effect on reducing number of fallers more than this combination. CONCLUSION: This analysis identified components of effective fall prevention exercise. The results can inform evidence-informed exercise recommendations and be used to design effective programs.

Light in the Senior Home: Effects of Dynamic and Individual Light Exposure on Sleep, Cognition, and Well-Being.

Disrupted sleep is common among nursing home patients and is associated with cognitive decline and reduced well-being. Sleep disruptions may in part be a result of insufficient daytime light exposure. This pilot study examined the effects of dynamic "circadian" lighting and individual light exposure on sleep, cognitive performance, and well-being in a sample of 14 senior home residents. The study was conducted as a within-subject study design over five weeks of circadian lighting and five weeks of conventional lighting, in a counterbalanced order. Participants wore wrist accelerometers to track rest-activity and light profiles and completed cognitive batteries (National Institute of Health (NIH) toolbox) and questionnaires (depression, fatigue, sleep quality, lighting appraisal) in each condition. We found no significant differences in outcome variables between the two lighting conditions. Individual differences in overall (indoors and outdoors) light exposure levels varied greatly between participants but did not differ between lighting conditions, except at night (22:00-6:00), with maximum light exposure being greater in the conventional lighting condition. Pooled data from both conditions showed that participants with higher overall morning light exposure (6:00-12:00) had less fragmented and more stable rest-activity rhythms with higher relative amplitude. Rest-activity rhythm fragmentation and long sleep duration both uniquely predicted lower cognitive performance.

The Effect of Fall Biomechanics on Risk for Hip Fracture in Older Adults: A Cohort Study of Video-Captured Falls in Long-Term Care.

Over 95% of hip fractures in older adults are caused by falls, yet only 1% to 2% of falls result in hip fracture. Our current understanding of the types of falls that lead to hip fracture is based on reports by the faller or witness. We analyzed videos of real-life falls in long-term care to provide objective evidence on the factors that separate falls that result in hip fracture from falls that do not. Between 2007 and 2018, we video-captured 2377 falls by 646 residents in two long-term care facilities. Hip fracture was documented in 30 falls. We analyzed each video with a structured questionnaire, and used generalized estimating equations (GEEs) to determine relative risk ratios (RRs) for hip fracture associated with various fall characteristics. All hip fractures involved falls from standing height, and pelvis impact with the ground. After excluding falls from lower than standing height, risk for hip fracture was higher for sideways landing configurations (RR = 5.50; 95% CI, 2.36-12.78) than forward or backward, and for falls causing hip impact (3.38; 95% CI, 1.49-7.67). However, hip fracture risk was just as high in falls initially directed sideways as forward (1.14; 95% CI, 0.49-2.67), due to the tendency for rotation during descent. Falling while using a mobility aid was associated with lower fracture risk (0.30; 95% CI, 0.09-1.00). Seventy percent of hip fractures involved impact to the posterolateral aspect of the pelvis. Hip protectors were worn in 73% of falls, and hip fracture risk was lower in falls where hip protectors were worn (0.45; 95% CI, 0.21-0.99). Age and sex were not associated with fracture risk. There was no evidence of spontaneous fractures. In this first study of video-captured falls causing hip fracture, we show that the biomechanics of falls involving hip fracture were different than nonfracture falls for fall height, fall direction, impact locations, and use of hip protectors. © 2020 The Authors. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research published by American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

Effectiveness of Hip Protectors to Reduce Risk for Hip Fracture from Falls in Long-Term Care.

OBJECTIVE: To generate evidence of the effectiveness of hip protectors to minimize risk of hip fracture at the time of falling among residents of long-term care (LTC) by contrasting rates of hip fractures between falls with and without hip protectors. DESIGN: A 12-month, retrospective cohort study. We retrospectively reviewed fall incident reports recorded during the 12 months prior to baseline in participating homes. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: A population-based sample comprising all residents from 14 LTC homes owned and operated by a single regional health authority, who experienced at least 1 recorded fall during the 12-month study. RESULTS: At baseline, the pooled mean (standard deviation) age of residents in participating homes was 82.7 (11.3) years and 68% were female. Hip protectors were worn in 2108 of 3520 (60%) recorded falls. Propensity to wear hip protectors was associated with male sex, cognitive impairment, wandering behavior, cardiac dysrhythmia, use of a cane or walker, use of anti-anxiety medication, and presence of urinary and bowel incontinence. The incidence of hip fracture was 0.33 per 100 falls in falls with hip protectors compared with 0.92 per 100 falls in falls without hip protectors, representing an unadjusted relative risk (RR) of hip fracture of 0.36 (95% confidence interval 0.14-0.90, P = .029) between protected and unprotected falls. After adjusting for propensity to wear hip protectors, the RR of hip fracture was 0.38 (95% confidence interval 0.14-0.99, P = .048) during protected vs unprotected falls. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Hip protectors were worn in 60% of falls, and the risk of hip fracture was reduced by nearly 3-fold by wearing a hip protector at the time of falling. Given that most clinical trials have failed to attain a similar level of adherence, our findings support the need for future research on the benefits of dissemination and implementation strategies to maximize adherence with hip protectors in LTC.