First major update since 2009 addresses life-changing consequences of falls among older Australians, with new focus on tailored interventions rather than risk assessments across residential care, community and hospital settings.
Falls among Australians over 65 cost the health system more than $2.8 billion annually, prompting researchers to release the first major update to national prevention guidelines in 15 years.
The Falls Guidelines (2025), developed through a five-year collaboration between Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA) and the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, shift focus from risk assessment to targeted intervention across residential aged care, community care and hospital settings.
Associate Professor Jasmine Menant from NeuRA’s Falls, Balance and Injury Research Centre, who worked on the comprehensive update, said falls represent both a personal and economic crisis requiring urgent attention.
“Falls have a big impact on individuals, as the consequences can be life-changing, from injury, to early admission into residential aged care or even mortality,” Assoc Prof Menant said. “They also have a big impact on our economy, with falls of Australians aged over 65 years old costing the health system more than $2.8 billion annually.”
The updated guidelines mark a fundamental shift in approach, emphasising evidence-based interventions over traditional risk assessment methods.
“For all settings there is an emphasis on implementation of interventions rather than assessment of risk,” Assoc Prof Menant said. “For example, in residential aged care, there is stronger evidence to support the ongoing delivery of exercise for fall prevention, and in the community, highlighting different approaches to intervention for people with different levels of risk.”
The guidelines introduce tailored approaches recognising that different people require different prevention strategies based on their fall history and individual risk factors.
“The Falls Guidelines (2025) combined research, community consultation and more to develop recommendations and best practice for a range of settings,” Assoc Prof Menant said.
“We’re really pleased to see these updated guidelines released and ready to be applied,” she said. “The guidelines build on our work at the Falls, Balance and Injury Research Centre, by translating the highest level of scientific evidence into effective fall prevention initiatives into evidence-based guideline care.”
The new approach recognises that prevention strategies must be customised rather than applying blanket solutions across all settings and populations.
“They recommend a tailored approach with different interventions to different people, according to whether they have fallen in the recent past and what additional individual risk factors they have,” Assoc Prof Menant said.
The guidelines address prevention across the three key settings where falls commonly occur, with specific recommendations developed for residential aged care facilities, community-based care services, and hospital environments.
Assoc Prof Menant said the guidelines represent a significant evolution from the 2009 version, incorporating 15 years of additional research and practical experience in falls prevention.
Ritchelle is a Content Producer for Healthcare Channel, Australia’s premier resource of information for healthcare.
