The first step is to investigate the extent of local falls and fall related injuries in older people, what is being done to address risk factors and other contributing issues. To achieve this, consider the problem from two perspectives: what does the community think and what is the data telling us?
Understanding your community's knowledge and attitudes will guide how to address the problem. There are a number of ways to collect this information, including:
Consultation with the community may raise concerns about other issues apart from falls. In the Queensland Stay on Your Feet® Wide Bay/Burnett trial project, safety for seniors was identified as the key issue for one community. Consequently, you may need to address the issues of greatest concern to the community before addressing falls.
National and state data will identify which population groups are at increased risk of falls and fall related injury.
There is no single data source that will provide all the required information. Various data sources will need to be used to provide a full understanding. Local injury data can be found from a range of sources including hospital admissions and emergency department presentations. You may need to analyse this information.
Compare local data with interstate and national data, as this may highlight how your community is faring in comparison, and the importance of the issue for your community. It may also help to gain the support of key stakeholders.
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