Aged care falls injuries lead to $325M healthcare toll
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A new study from the University of Queensland has revealed that fall-related injuries in Australian residential aged care facilities could be costing the health system a staggering $325 million annually. While a national prevention strategy exists, the study’s lead researcher, Dr Charles Okafor, says aged care settings need their own tailored approach to reduce the financial and human toll of these falls.
The research tracked 303 people aged over 65 in aged care facilities in New South Wales and Western Australia. “We monitored 303 people aged over 65 in aged care facilities in New South Wales and Western Australia, and found the average cost of a fall resulting in injury was around $2,500 dollars,” Dr Okafor said.
Out of those studied, 281 residents experienced falls, but only 119 of them had injuries that contributed to an annual overall cost of $325 million. “Falls pose a significant financial burden but despite efforts to address the issue over the years, falls continue to remain a significant problem.”
According to the study, body mass index (BMI) and gender were the two main risk factors for fall injuries. “We found male residents were twice as likely to suffer a fall related injury and those with a normal BMI were also at higher risk,” Dr Okafor said.
“Residents with a normal BMI are possibly more independent and not as closely monitored as those who could be overweight or underweight and less mobile. The falls risk profile is completely different for those living in the community which means we need different approaches for different populations.”
Although there is a national prevention strategy guided by the Australian and New Zealand Falls Prevention Society, Dr Okafor believes a specific strategy tailored for aged care is necessary.
“Successful examples like the National Ageing Research Institute’s falls prevention in residential aged care workshops could be used as models for implementation nationwide,” Dr Okafor said.
“This could come about by liaising with stakeholders to find out what the training needs of aged care staff are, the challenges they’re facing, and what could minimise costs.”
Ritchelle is a Content Producer for Healthcare Channel, Australia’s premier resource of information for healthcare.
