Bhargav Kothari is a Registered Physiotherapist (left) and Nuno DaSilva, is the Manager of Resident Safety (right) at Kensington Gardens. They work together to prevent resident falls.

Focusing on prevention

Falls are the leading cause of injury-related hospitalizations among older Canadian adults. 20-30% of older adults fall each year. That number is even higher in long-term care, with 44% of residents being at high risk for fracturing a bone, especially when a fall, or sudden movement happens.

Fractures can cause severe pain, disability and can sometimes be fatal. Focusing on fall prevention can increase quality of life of residents at Kensington Gardens. Not only do we meet the provincial requirement, but we have a significantly lower number of falls than many long-term care homes in the province. At Kensington Gardens, the fall prevention process begins right at admission into the home, when the nursing team does an initial Fall Risk Assessment. The interdisciplinary team conducts the Fall Risk assessment on quarterly basis, when there is a significant change in resident status and resident has fallen 3 or more times within a review period.  

Person-centered approach

Based on resident’s risk level, fall history, care needs,  medications and preferences the team initiate strategies and activities to reduce or minimize the risk of falls.The care team at Kensington Gardens follows a very person-centred approach, there is no fixed protocol for all. 

“The process is individualized for every resident, they have a choice in their care. We look at different interventions to prevent fractures from falls such as non-slip shoes, hip protectors, mobility equipment and their personal environments, and choose a preventative measure depending on the resident’s choice.” - Nicoleta Paraschiv, Director of Care at Kensington Gardens (South building).

The team recently implemented a new assessment tool to analyze the cause of the fall, previous falls, current fall prevention measures and new interventions implemented as appropriate.

Working together

Fall prevention at Kensington Gardens is a team effort, right from admission. It involves the nursing team, physiotherapy, restorative care and even the dietitians.

“We recognize that everyone is involved in fall prevention.” - Anna Slawski, Director of Care at Kensington Gardens (North building).

Physiotherapy and restorative care play an integral role in the process, they work together and supplement each other. 

“’The physiotherapy program focuses on increasing strength and balance, and helps residents boost their confidence” says Bhargav Kothari, a Registered Physiotherapist.

"Restorative care is more than rehabilitation, it’s looking at the resident’s routine, how they’re getting dressed, how they moved around. We want to focus on the person and their individualistic needs,” says Nuno DaSilva, Manager of Resident Safety.

Over half of residents participate in physiotherapy with a 10 % overlap with restorative care. Nuno is the Falls Lead and he started developing the restorative care program in 2012. What makes it unique is that it is run by personal care attendants (PCA), Margaret and Marcia. They do specialized “active range of motion” classes, with a one PCA to four residents ratio, as well as general fitness classes which are open to anyone. Assessing risk, being aware of treatment options and working together are all important aspects of the fall prevention process. Every member of the care team plays a role in preventing falls.

Contact us for more information on fall prevention and other initiatives at Kensington Gardens.