1. COMMUNITY ALARM TELECARE SERVICE
SESSION 2 FALLS

2. ELDERLY POPULATION 78,000 people aged 65+ in Grampian
live in the city
fallers

3. WHAT IS A FALL?
“ an event which results in a person coming to rest inadvertently on the ground or other lower level, and other than a consequence of sudden onset paralysis or seizure”
WHO (2004)

4. WHO FALLS AND WHERE 1 in 3 of those aged 65+ 1 in 2 of those aged 85+
65+ fall in the garden, stairs, and kitchen.
85+ fall in the bedroom and bathroom

5. CONSEQUENCES OF A FALL 300,000 fractures per year
Main cause of death due to injury in over 65’s
6000+ hip factures in Scotland per annum.

6. EXERCISE Draw one body per group using materials provided.
Draw/write intrinsic (person related) risk factors inside the body.
Draw/write extrinsic (environment related) risk factors outside the body.
Draw/write behavioural (activity related) risk factors in any free space!

7. HOW DOES TELECARE MONITOR
AND PREVENT FALLS?
Can telecare equipment stop someone falling?
The answer is No, it won’t stop someone
from falling, but can aid preventing
a fall by:
making the users environment safer eg automatic lighting in dark areas of the users home; or
lights attached to a bed sensor for when
a person gets up during the night
Telecare DOES act as a quick response to someone who
has fallen – ensuring immediate assistance is given.
Can Telecare stop someone from falling
NO – it can act as a quick response to someone who has fallen
Telecare can help prevent falls by making the users environment safer
EG automatic lighting in dark areas OR
Lights can be attached to a bed sensor for when a user gets up during the night
Although this type of equipment can be complicated for some users
But Charlie will go into the equipment in more detail and what the complications are later on.

8. FALLS AND THE FALL DETECTOR
If a user is at risk of falls and:
They have enough dexterity
to press the pendant; and
They have the capacity to
understand what the pendant is
for and why they should wear it
A basic community alarm and pendant is all this is
required.
Thus giving the user peace of mind, that should they
fall they can press for assistance.
If a user is prone to falling
FD is not always the answer
If they have the Capacity and Dexterity to know when to press a pendant
Basic CA/Pend – all is required
Sometimes FD is overkill
Review visits – FD never worn, often in a drawer somewhere – person can press pendant

9. TELECARE EQUIPMENT call to the monitoring centre,
A fall detector will raise an automatic
call to the monitoring centre,
who in turn will arrange assistance
through a responder.
In some cases the addition of a bed sensor with an
absence time will be required as a back up.
The bed sensor will raise an automatic call to the
monitoring centre, should the user get out of bed and
not return within the preset absence time, eg 10, 20
minutes.
FD sends an automatic call to a monitoring centre. Ideal for:
Users who can’t press a pendant
Don’t have the capacity to raise an alert
Take Blackouts or prone to collapsing with no warning – not able to press for help
In some cases a bed sensor can be fitted as a back up to the FD
Sometimes all that is required is Bed Sens if user only falls when rising from bed at night –
As I said Charlie will go into this in more detail later

10. ASSESSING FOR TELECARE IN RELATION TO FALLS
Telecare will alert AFTER a fall and help:
Reduce anxiety ie lying on floor
Accelerate response
What to Consider When Assessing:
Look at Risks in Environment -
can these be alleviated
ability to transfer - chair/bed/toilet
Attitude to fall -
one off – can they remember incident - dizziness – blackouts
TC can help prevent, but in the event it doesn’t it can alert AFTER the fall and this
Reduces anxiety for user – as it prevents them lying for a long time before
being found as a quick response for help is alerted through TC
When assessing look at risks within the users home
Can these be alleviated
What is their ability to transfer to chair/bed/toilet
It may be other equipment that is required not telecare
The users attitude to the fall - Is it a one off
Can they remember the incident
Was it just a dizzy spell or did they blackout
The more you know the easier it will be to know what equipment is required to help.

11. ASSESSING FOR TELECARE IN RELATION TO FALLS
Age - likelihood that falls will increase
Sight – spectacles
Medication – review – side affects of medication
Long Term Medical Condition – Dementia - Parkinson's
Confirmed History of Falls –
why, where and when do these happen
Reluctance to Speak about Falls – fear of care
Consider age of user – likelihood that falls will increase if elderly
Sight – Spectacles – needing a good clean
is their prescription correct
when was the last time their eyes was tested
Medication – does it require renewed
Is falling /unsteadiness a side affect of their medication
Have they got a long term condition – dementia, parkinsons, huntingtons
this could be the cause of their falls and again with these conditions falling will only get worse
Confirm the history of their falls
Why do they happen - Where do they happen
When do they happen eg is it always night when getting out of bed
Bear in mind some people are reluctant to speak about falls (may hide the fact) fear of going into care

12. ASSESSING FOR TELECARE IN RELATION TO FALLS
Criteria for Fall Detector
“Fall Detectors should only be considered if a user
experiences blackouts or is unable or unwilling to press a
pendant alarm”
Alternatives:
Pendant/consider other telecare
Standard Equipment
Falls Prevention Programme
Because FDs were being requested so much and after 6 week review
Many were being returned we implemented Criteria for the supply of FDs
“Read Criteria from Slide”
If user doesn’t fit this criteria – consider alternatives:
Pendant or other telecare
Standard Equipment – OT/NHS
Referral to Falls Prevention Programme