A report from Statistics Canada states that falls account for two-thirds of injuries which limit mobility and activities for Canadians. Nearly 14,000 Canadians die as the result of falls every year. Because a fall resulting in injury can set in motion a steady decrease in the health of a resident, preventing falls is a major issue in the long-term care sector.

According to Safer Healthcare Now, a national campaign aimed at creating safe environments throughout all health-care sectors, about 50 per cent of residents in long-term care homes fall each year.

Taking these figures into consideration, long-term care homes are focusing more than ever on reducing the number of resident falls.

Janet McNabb, director of care at Algonquin Nursing Home in Mattawa, says the falls prevention aspect of the home’s physiotherapy program has helped keep falls at a minimum.

“It has probably been one of the best preventative (measures),” she says.

McNabb adds that it’s often the same residents who fall on a repetitive basis. Once these residents are identified, steps are taken to ensure that the risk of injury is minimized.

For instance, floor mats will be used for residents at risk of falling out of bed, and handrails will be lowered for residents who are prone to climbing.

Algonquin Nursing Home also keeps a list of residents who are most at risk of falling. Any resident who has more than three falls in a month is added to the list so staff members can be kept up to date on which residents need to be monitored the most and to utilize preventative measures and mitigate risks.

“When we look at the reports, we can see time and location of falls so we can make sure that the staff is getting to the resident before (they fall),” explains Angie Douglass, the home’s resident and family services co-ordinator.

Each month at the home’s health-and-safety meeting, staff members go through the home’s falls report and see if there are any residents who fall more than others and brainstorm ideas as a committee and implement steps to minimize risks.

Like Algonquin Nursing Home, Burnbrae Gardens in Campbellford is focused on taking preventative measures.

The OMNI Health Care-owned home uses personal safety alarms for residents most at risk of falling. These devices are affixed to residents’ beds and wheelchairs and will alert staff members should they attempt to stand on their own.

These measures also ensure residents’ quality of life is not compromised by safety methods, notes Mary Anne Greco, the home’s director of care.

“(These measures) give (residents) some degree of independence so they’re not feeling restrained or restricted, but we’re still being very proactive and focused to prevent unnecessary falls,” she says.