Member Spotlight: Sequoia Hospital Fall Prevention Program

In San Mateo County, falls account for 80% of accidental injury deaths in individuals over the age of 85, and 20% in ages 75 to 84.

Fall Prevention Program Description For three years, Sequoia Hospital’s Health & Wellness Center has offered a fall prevention program in collaboration with community organizations. The fall prevention program includes a five-week class series for groups of older adults that provides information and exercises to reduce the risk of falling. The program is community-based through its partnerships with local agencies that host the classes on-site. The evidence-based course addresses the key factors involved in fall risk—home modification, medication management and physical activity—and how to manage them. Each class also includes exercises designed to help increase balance, strength, and flexibility.

The topics covered during the fall prevention class series include:

• Individual risk factors for falls
• The activity pyramid for older adults
• Making an exercise plan
• Medication management
• Home safety assessment
• Osteoporosis
• How to handle a fall

The classes are led by trained health professionals and are designed to encourage dialogue, participation, and action to prevent falls. Class participants complete a self-assessment for health factors that might affect their chance of falling, assess their home environment for fall risk, learn how medications can affect their chance of falling, develop a list of their medications, create a plan for increasing the amount and type of physical activity in their daily lives, practice simple exercises to improve balance and strength, and learn about physical activity resources in their community.

The fall prevention program also includes a referral process for class participants who appear particularly vulnerable to falling. Sequoia Hospital staff performs fall risk assessments on identified class participants. The results are given to participants to bring back to their physician for further assessment and/or referral to physical or occupational therapy, or other health services, as appropriate.

The fall prevention program has served over 600 community members since March 2003. An evaluation of the program in 2005 found that 90% of program participants reduced a minimum of two risk factors for falls after the class series.

For more information, contact:
April Watson, MPH, RD
Supervisor, Community Wellness Programs
Health & Wellness Center
Sequoia Hospital
Tel: (650) 367-5991
Email: april.watson@chw.edu