Agenda

CONFERENCE DAY ONE
Monday 20th June 2011

DAY ONE | DAY TWO

8:30 Registration and Coffee

9:00 Opening Remarks From the Chair:
Debra Petrys, General Manager – National Programs, Council on the Ageing (COTA)

9:10 Promoting Active, Healthy Living and Preventing Falls with the Stay On Your Feet ® Initiative
Kate Smith, Principal Project Officer –Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Service, Centre for Healthcare Improvement, Queensland Health

9:50 Stay On Your Feet ® – An Enabler for Change
Karina Moore, Senior Development Officer, Health Networks Branch, Department of Health, WA

10:30 Morning Tea

11:00 Exercise to Reduce Falls and Fall Risk in People with Parkinson's Disease

• Identification of fall risk factors that are potentially remediable with exercise
• An overview of the evidence regarding exercise to reduce falls and fall risk
• Issues to consider when designing an exercise program for people with Parkinson's disease
• Resources for therapists

Dr Natalie Allen, Research Officer, Discipline of Physiotherapy/Neurological Rehabilitation Research Group – Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Sydney

11:40 Fall Prevention and Design of the Physical Environment: A Discussion on Three ways of Considering the Physical Environment when Designing for Fall Prevention

• Safety & Security: The role of regulations, standards and risk management
• Functionality: Mitigation of falls through ergonomics and practical considerations
• Design for Disability: How the well designed environment heals and empowers

John Clarke, Principal Architect, GHD

12:20 Lunch

HOSPITAL AND RESIDENTIAL AGED CARE SETTINGS

1:20 Using Exercise and Physical Activity to Reduce Fall Risk in the Old and Very Old

• Identify the physiological declines that are associated to falls
• Discuss present knowledge
• Assessment of balance in older adults and the relationship to falls risk
• Designing appropriate program for high – and low-functioning adults
• Barriers, motivators and the change in present attitude to falls risk

Tim Henwood, PhD, Research Fellow - UQ/Blue Care Research & Practice Development Centre – School of Nursing and Midwifery, The University of Queensland

2:00 Best Practice Guide for Orthogeriatric Care: The Acute Perioperative Care of Frail Fracture Patients Requiring Surgical Management

• The evidence for an orthogeriatric model of care
• Key practice issues in the acute perioperative care of fracture patients
• The current state of orthogeriatric care in NSW
• Falls prevention in the acute setting
• Future directions for orthogeriatric care

Dr Laura Ahmad, Geriatrician, Concord Hospital

2:40 Afternoon Tea

3:10 Case Study: Implementing the Partners in Positive Ageing Program in ACH Residential Facilities

> The context of the Partners in Positive Ageing – model of wellbeing and its relationship with health promotion and healthy ageing
> The key features of the model for older people and our staff
> A planned approach to achieving health and wellbeing through specific interventions
> The Early Intervention Working Party – monitors resident attendance at gym/fitness classes, participation in every day activities, adverse events and the working party initiates a bounce back approach through recovery and rehabilitation programs
> Data gathering; to measure target outcomes
> Evaluating to review results; early impact studies on older peoples' mobility status across their life course (aim: to die, still walking)

Jo Boylan, Doctorate Student Public Health, Senior Manager of Northern Residential Services, ACH Group

3:50 Don't Fall for it; Injuries can be Prevented!

• Overview of The Northern Hospital (TNH) Falls Prevention Program
• Program was implemented at TNH in 2002
• Falls-related injuries reduced by 60% within 2 years of program implementation
• The reduction of falls related injuries has been maintained since
• Key features of the program
• Barriers, enablers and lessons learned
• Largest falls prevention Randomised Control Trial in the world has been funded by the National Health & Medical Research Council to evaluate if the TNH falls prevention program can be replicated in other acute hospital settings across Australia (2011– 2014)

Jeanette Kamar, Injury Prevention Coordinator – Quality, Safety & Risk Unit – The Northern Hospital, Northern Health

4:30 Importance of Nutrition and Malnutrition Screening
Jan Hill, Manager, Malnutrition Prevention Program – Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Service, Centre for Healthcare Improvement, Queensland Health

5:10 Close of the Day From the Chair and Networking Drinks

CONFERENCE DAY TWO
Tuesday 21st June 2011

DAY ONE | DAY TWO

8:30 Morning Coffee

9:00 Opening Remarks From the Chair:
Debra Petrys, General Manager – National Programs, Council on the Ageing (COTA)

9:10 Reducing Falls Across Community, Hospital and Residential Care Settings within a Region

• Implementation of a multi-disciplinary falls portfolio model across the inpatient, community and residential sectors
• Development and use of program specific falls assessment tools
• Promoting engagement and communication between clinicians across the continuum to enhance falls prevention management
• An innovative home based approach to delivery of community falls prevention assessments

Vicki Davies, Manager Falls Prevention Service, Peninsula Health

COMMUNITY SETTINGS

9:50 Education and Integration of A Balance Program in the Community

The Better Balance training program was developed as a collaborative partnership between the Department of Health, Centre for Physical Activity in Ageing (Hampstead Centre) and COTA Seniors Voice, with input from an advisory group consisting of stakeholders from Falls Prevention backgrounds.

The Aim of the project was to develop training that will equip communitybased fitness professionals to deliver safe and effective balance exercises for older people. COTA’s Strength for Life instructors were identified as ideal candidates to receive the training, however the training would also include other fitness instructors in the community.

This presentation will discuss:

• The development and content of the package
• The evaluation of the training program as well as the integration of the training into the Strength for Life program
• The intention to implement the Better Balance program into existing COTA SFL/Living Longer Living Stronger programs in other states
• Outcomes including:
  1. The development of a better balance educational training package
  2. The training of 100 SFL instructors by 30th June 2011
  3. Integration of effective balance exercises into existing SFL programs state-wide
  4. Doctors and allied health professionals are informed of the better balance component of the SFL program and have the confidence to refer clients who may be at risk of falls into programs where instructors have been trained
  5. Transition from Falls Clinics and Day Therapy programs into mainstream SFL community classes
  6. Integration of the Better Balance program into fitness programs within an aged care residential setting
  7. The provision of ongoing professional development for SFL instructors through the Better Balance training

Jeanette Richards, Project Officer - Strength for Life, Council on the Ageing (COTA)

10:30 Morning Tea

11:00 CASE STUDY: Filling the Gaps - Coordination of Falls Prevention Services in Southern Adelaide

> Identification of clients at risk of falling – how and where
> Description of common entry point for falls referrals
> Triaging of referrals to identify the level of falls risk and urgency of response required
> Ensure correct service matching and referral to appropriate services
> Follow up and monitoring of clients
> Evaluation of program including uptake of services and readmission data

Chrissie Isaksson, Program Manager, Health Service Integration - Adelaide Health Service – Southern Area, SA Health

11:40 CASE STUDY: Constructing a Regional Falls Program to Provide Clinical, Support and Strategic Roles across the Central and Northern Adelaide Health Areas

An integrated program is discussed including:

> Triage and care coordination of complex elderly fallers living in the community including clients referred from the South Australian Ambulance Service
> Operation of four falls clinics
> Coordination of a large network of health professionals and regional newsletters
> Strategic alignment with health reform in South Australia and nationally
> Resource development directed at health professionals and consumers and Health promotion activities

Program outcomes have been integral to ongoing funding. Data collected and service impact are discussed.

Gill Bartley, Program Manager, Falls Prevention Program, Central and Northern Adelaide Health Service Areas and Physiotherapy Clinical Lead Ambulatory and Primary Health Care Directorate, SA Health

12:20 Lunch

1:20 Stepping On: Building Confidence and Reducing Falls and Staying Power – Tips and Tools to Keep You on Your Feet

This practical program is based on a strong psycho-social framework and also incorporates strong factual knowledge from Allied Health professionals. Participants are encouraged to participate in their own Health Care with a paradigm shift away from an outdated didactic model. The aim was to implement a sustainable, preventative health intervention within the St Vincent’s Hospital Community Primary Care team, through the introduction of a best-practice program that reduces falls and builds confidence among community-dwelling older people.

The session will cover:

• Program development and implementation
• Facilitating program and training other staff to embed the program in their work practice
• Analysing the success of the project and the challenges of embedding it as an ongoing community program within St Vincent’s Community Health Service
• Key outcomes: Program sustainability and further projected Falls Pathway programs

Jeanette Cudmore, Health Education Officer, St. Vincent's Community Health Service

2:00 Promoting Medication Reviews and Knowledge in Falls Prevention

• Medication and Falls
• Reducing the drug burden and reducing the risk
• The use of sedatives – It’s never too late to quit
• Reducing falls and fractures – The role of Vitamin D
• Pain management and exercise – Too little too late
• The importance of Pharmacist medication review – Home Medication Review and Residential Medication Management Review

Paul Hannan, Meditrax Pharmacist Consultant, Meditrax

2:40 Afternoon Tea

3:10 Working with Clients who are Blind and/or have Low Vision – Orientation & Mobility Training

• Assess our clients' needs and expectations – Note issues specific to certain age groups i.e. higher risks, the older a client is, etc
• Focus on reducing our clients’ risks regarding falls on familiar and unfamiliar travel routes
• Training clients, focus on safety, reducing falls and other risks – Discuss types of orientation and mobility training programs i.e. types of equipment
• Challenges:
  1. Improving community education regarding the risks regarding falls and other hazards i.e. types of steps, kerbs, potholes in footpaths and roadways encountered
  2. Client’s other health issues & the impact upon their safe mobility travel
• Outcomes:
  1. Client and community education
  2. Where to next, recommendations

Anne Fagerlund, Orientation & Mobility Specialist, Vision Australia
Chantelle Smith, Orientation & Mobility Specialist, Vision Australia

3:50 Medico Legal Considerations after an In-hospital or Aged Care Facility Fall

• The basics of a medical negligence claim in Queensland
• Investigation of a medical negligence claim
• Falls and quality of care in hospital and aged care facilities
• Recurring themes

Margaret Brain, Practice Group Leader, Slater and Gordon Lawyers

4:30 Close of Conference From the Chair

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