TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2023//
TI  - A physiotherapy-led review of guideline-based care for community-dwelling older people presenting to a metropolitan hospital with accidental falls
JO  - Australasian journal on ageing
A1  - Barton, Loren
A1  - Nelson, Mark
A1  - Scholes, Corey
A1  - Strudwick, Kirsten
SP  - ePub
EP  - ePub
VL  - ePub
IS  - ePub
N2  - OBJECTIVE(S): Several guidelines exist to inform best-practice management of community-dwelling fallers. This study aimed to outline a pragmatic approach to developing an audit tool for guideline-based care of falls and provide an overview of current practice. <br><br>METHODS: An audit tool to determine compliance with guideline-based care was developed with an allied health and physiotherapy focus, utilising the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health-Care Guidelines for Preventing Falls and Harm from Falls in Older People (2009) and Queensland State Government 'Stay on your Feet' guidelines. A retrospective audit of medical records was completed in July 2020 of community-dwelling people aged 65 years and over with a fall-related emergency department (ED) presentation in a medium-sized metropolitan hospital in Australia. Data were compared between patients admitted to hospital and those discharged home from the ED. <br><br>RESULTS: Ninety-three patients were included: 68 were discharged home from ED and 25 were admitted to hospital. There was a significant difference in receiving an allied health review (p < .001) between admitted patients (96%) and those who discharged home from ED (68%). The Clinical Frailty Scale was only completed for 23% of patients. Physiotherapy quality-of-care (n = 46 patients) was variable, with poor completion of physical outcome measures (7%) and fall education (4%). However, assessment of mobility was routinely completed (94%), and most patients were referred to an appropriate community service (66%). <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Adherence to guideline-based care of community-dwelling fallers is inconsistent. Improvements are required in the consistency of risk stratification, comprehensive physical assessment and patient education.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1440-6381
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ajag.13247
ID  - ref1
ER  -