Hip protectors reduce injuries from falls in nursing homes
Reducing injuries
Hip protectors reduce injuries from falls in nursing homes
Research undertaken in 12 Victorian nursing homes shows that wearing hip protectors reduces the risk of fractures to the hip and pelvis to residents in residential aged and acute care facilities, according to its author, Dr Hal Swerissen of La Trobe University and reported in the March 2006 Australasian Journal on Ageing.
In Victoria the direct medical cost of all fall-related injuries in people aged 65 years and over is estimated at $127 Million a year.
Falls are preventable, but the research found that in 40% of the falls assessed, the resident had been assessed as not needing hip protectors, with the authors questioning the effectiveness of the fall risk assessment tools.
