Links for scientific research
International
World Health Organisation (WHO)
The WHO has a Health Evidence Network that has published research papers on:
The WHO has also produced and published:
Cochrane Collaboration
The Cochrane Collaboration is a worldwide database of systematic reviews of the scientific literature and has produced a range of reviews for consideration:
Europe and United Kingdom
The Prevention of Falls Network - Europe (or ProFaNE) has studied a number of websites dedicated to preventing falls in older people and recommends the following three sites as being particularly useful and comprehensive:
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Cornwall Falls Prevention
This website contains comprehensive advice on falls, including how to decide if you are at risk, what you can do to help yourself etc. The website also tells you what to do in an emergency and has links to other useful websites. The layout is clear and easy to navigate and it is suitable for low speed internet connections.
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Buckinghamshire Falls and Fracture Prevention
This website is funded by the UK National Health Service and is intended for both the public and professionals. Information is available on the consequences of falling, danger signs etc. There is also an extensive section promoting physical activity. The areas aimed at professionals contain information about things like diet and medication.
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Waltham Forest Older People's Collaborative
This website provides information for older people, their families and their carers. The site has been designed to be as easy to use as possible and covers a variety of topics as well as falls. The falls information is comprehensive and deals with areas such as risk factors, helping yourself and what to do if you fall.
ProFaNE also has a detailed section devoted to falls prevention resources. This includes links to other websites, policy statements, leaflets and research papers. There are approximately 1,280 separate resources listed on the ProFaNE website.
Associated resources and papers from a major conference on the 'Prevention of falls and injuries in hospitals and care homes', which was held in London on 2 July 2007, are now available.
Canada
The Registered Nurses Association of Ontario, Canada has produced a comprehensive nursing best practice guideline for the Prevention of falls and fall injuries in the older adult.
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National
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The Commonwealth Department of Veterans Affairs has produced a Health Promotion Strategic Plan for veterans called
Choose Health! which includes a physical activity strategy and covers the management of chronic conditions.
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Victoria
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The Victorian government has a website for their
Aged Care in Victoria program. On this site you will find a guide to services, a list of related resources and links as well as information about relevant policy, guidelines, legislation etc.
New South Wales
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The North Coast Area Health Service in New South Wales has had a focus on
falls prevention in older people for a long time now. Their most recent program is known as Stay Active, Stay Independent (SASI) and is derived from experience gained in running a major Stay On Your Feet
® program in the 1990s. The website includes a useful listing for physical activity options along with a long list of downloadable resources and documents.
South Australia
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Established in 1996 by the Royal Adelaide Hospital and the University of Adelaide, the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) is now a growing, dynamic international collaboration involving nursing, medical and allied health researchers, clinicians, academics and quality managers across 40 countries in every continent. JBI has produced a webpage with relevant links and resources relating to
falls prevention in older people including research summaries, current research and recommended related websites.
Western Australia
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Stay On Your Feet® (Western Australia) is a recognised national leader in the area of preventing falls in older people. Their website has a number of downloadable resources, including client checklists and brochures in large type.
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Topic based research
Balance
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The
Falls and Balance Research Group, situated at the Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute, Sydney, Australia has a website with a useful range of links and research papers.
Physical Activity
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The Commonwealth Department of Veterans Affairs has produced a guide for those running physical activity programs for older Australians called
Older, Smarter, Fitter.
Continence
Nutrition
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The Commonwealth Department of Veterans Affairs has funded the production of a
Facilitators Kit for a program called Cooking for One or Two, including how to run classes, preparation, ingredients and food safety issues.
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A PowerPoint presentation on
Vitamin D and Falls from a July 2007 falls conference in London is available.
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An American website dedicated to providing nutrition educational resources for older people called
NOAHnet is available.
Foot Wear
Public Places
Hazards in the Home
Research articles exploring the falls potential and health benefits of pet ownership are available:
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