Mobile falls prevention clinics will be hitting the road throughout the province to support older British Columbians in reducing their risk of falling.

In recognition of Seniors’ Fall Prevention Awareness Week (Nov. 2-8), parliamentary secretary for seniors Darryl Plecas was today joined by Fraser Health officials and representatives from the Centre for Hip Health and Mobility at a falls prevention mobile clinic and lab. The lab brings imaging instruments like an X-ray body scan and fall-risk assessment tools to the community.

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In 2014, the Province provided $4.5 million to the Centre for Hip Health and Mobility to expand programs to help prevent falls and hip fractures in older adults. The Fraser Health falls prevention mobile clinic is one of the funded programs that will be expanded to other regions of British Columbia. The mobile lab will work in collaboration with the clinic to allow researchers to learn more about seniors’ falls and raise awareness outside of urban areas where services may not be available.

“There are four key ways to prevent falls as a senior: get your eyes checked, make your home safer, get regular exercise – including strength and balance training – and ask your doctor or pharmacist to review your medications,” said Fabio Feldman, manager of the falls and injury prevention program at Fraser Health. “Following this simple advice could save you, or someone you love, the pain and suffering of a dangerous fall.”

At the mobile falls prevention clinics, seniors meet with health professionals such as nurses, pharmacists, kinesiologists and physiotherapists to do a number of tests involving strength, balance, vision, blood pressure, a medication review and a diet evaluation focusing on calcium and vitamin D. Clinicians then develop a personalized activity program. The clinic launched within Fraser Health, however the funding provided last year will help take them provincewide by 2018.

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Each year, one-third of B.C. seniors fall, and 4,000 seniors who fall sustain a hip fracture. In B.C., falls are the number-one cause of injury-related deaths in seniors, and 20% of older people who fall and fracture a hip do not survive.

The Centre for Hip Health and Mobility research teams investigate fall prevention, treatment options for hip fractures and osteoarthritis, and create new surgical solutions. The centre is located at the Robert H.N. Ho Research Centre at Vancouver General Hospital.

Learn more:

For more information on preventing falls, visit: www.FindingBalanceBC.ca

As well, more resources are at: www.FallsClinic.ca