TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2015//
TI  - Preparing patients at high risk of falls for discharge home after rehabilitation: do we meet the guidelines?
JO  - Geriatrics and gerontology international
A1  - Said, Catherine M.
A1  - Batchelor, Frances
A1  - Shaw, Kathryn
A1  - Blennerhassett, Jannette
SP  - 570
EP  - 576
VL  - 16
IS  - 5
N2  - AIM: To determine whether rehabilitation inpatients at high risk of falls receive adequate falls risk assessment, management and handover on discharge as per Australian Best Practice Guidelines. <br><br>METHODS: Medical records of 121 people who received inpatient rehabilitation were retrospectively screened; records of 50 people discharged home and at high falls risk (fall in last 12 months, fall preceding/during admission) were audited. Data extracted included falls risk identification during rehabilitation and in discharge documentation; falls risk factors assessed; and fall prevention strategies implemented. <br><br>RESULTS: Discharge documentation correctly identified falls risk for just nine of the 50 people. Patients at high falls risk had a median of 8.0 (interquartile range 6-10) of 17 risk factors. There was limited evidence of assessment for osteoporosis (n = 8), footwear (n = 4) and visual assessment in the previous 2 years (n = 1). Patients received a median of 6.5 (interquartile range 5-9) out of 16 possible strategies. Common strategies were mobility (n = 48), strength (n = 44) and Personal Activity of Daily Living training (n = 43). For 12 risk factors, if the factor was present, there was evidence of a strategy in more than 80% of records. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: There was little evidence that people at high risk of falls received systematic falls risk assessment during rehabilitation. When a risk was identified, generally a strategy was implemented. However, failure to assess some risk factors might have limited fall prevention strategies offered. Failure to adequately address risks during hospitalization could contribute to falls post-discharge. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2015; ●●: ●●-●●.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1444-1586
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ggi.12511
ID  - ref1
ER  -