Multidisciplinary Fall Prevention Program in Jockey Club Integrated Rehabilitation Day Centre of Kowloon Hospital – A Program Evaluation.

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Abstract Description
Submission ID :
HAC581
Submission Type
Authors (including presenting author) :
Leung HC(1), Fong CH(1), Tsang KY(2), Li KT(2), Cheung TL(2), Au JYT(3), Leung KYK(3), Cheung CMG(3), Wong YHV(3), Chan YM(4), Lee TH(1), Siu CY(1), Leung SK(1), Tai ML(1), Chan YCD(3), Chan DYL(2), Leung KLK(3), Chow FK(1), Cheng HK(1), Yeung EMP(1)
Affiliation :
(1)Department of Rehabilitation, (2)Occupational Therapy Department, (3)Physiotherapy Department, (4)Department of Clinical Psychology; Kowloon Hospital
Introduction :
Fall poses a threat to the healthcare system through its association with disability and mortality. The risk of recurrent falls is tripled after falling within one year.
Objectives :
The Fall Prevention Program was established with an aim to identify patients with high fall risks and prevent falls through personalized interventions.
Methodology :
Patients with recent history of fall or at risk of falls were recruited in clinics, emergency department and hospital admissions. This 12-week program consists of 24 training sessions, a case conference, 2 telehealth sessions on fall prevention education and follow-up at 12 weeks after discharge. The patients are provided with personalized treatment including fall-related diseases management, medications review, strength and balance exercise, home safety advice, training on cognition and activities of daily living (ADLs) and nutrition advice, as well as psychological management for those with mood and behavioural issues.
Result & Outcome :
24 patients were recruited from September to November 2024 with an average age of 79.5 years (SD = 9.2). All of them fell at least once past year. According to Falls Risk for Older People in the Community (FROP-Com) Screen, 9 patients (37.5%) were graded with high fall risk.
Majority of the patients lived with frailty (18/24, 75.0%), had history of fractures (17/24, 70.8%), and were diagnosed with osteoporosis (17/24, 70.8%). 7 patients (29.1%) were identified with home safety hazards. 20 patients (83.3%) were using drugs associated with fall risks, for example, antihypertensives (20/24, 83.3%), antidepressants, antipsychotics or hypnotics (6/24, 25.0%) and anticholinergics (3/24, 12.5%). Polypharmacy was identified in more than half of the patients (13/24, 54.2%).
Up to January 2025, 17 patients completed the program. A Wilcoxon signed rank test revealed a significant improvement in their ADL, IADL, fall efficacy and reduction of fall risk through Modified Barthel Index (p=0.003), Functional Independence Measure (p=0.005), Lawton Instrumental Activity of Daily Living (p=0.036), Fall Efficacy Scale (p=0.021) and FROP-Com Screen (p=0.046). Comprehensive assessments of at-risk patients allow efficient resources utilization for falls prevention. On-going evaluation of the program efficacy is in progress.
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