Pre Conference Workshops

Presenters:

Dr Yoshiro Okubo, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia
Dr Melanie K. Farlie, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
Dr Sze-Ee Soh, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
Dr Chiara Naseri, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia

Workshop aims and objectives

At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to develop practical skills on balance exercise training for fall prevention by maximising intensity, safety, engagement and efficacy. Specific objectives include

• Describe current evidence on effective exercise programs for falls prevention to target the mechanisms of balance control
• Apply the theory and practice of reactive balance training in older adults
• Identify clinical markers of balance exercise intensity
• Explore the practical application of observer rated and self-rated measures of balance exercise challenge
• Explore opportunities to enhance communication and engagement with patient/clients about balance exercise programs.

Target audience

Health professionals who prescribe balance exercise training to reduce falls, inclusive of but not limited to physiotherapists, occupational therapists, exercise physiologists

Description of workshop content and activities

• Description of workshop content and activities
• Overview of current evidence on effective exercise programs for fall prevention including mechanisms of balance control – Dr Soh, 20 min
• Description of observer rated and self-rated measures of balance exercise challenge, and how to apply them in the practice of exercise prescription – Dr Farlie, 20 min
• Presentation of scientific background of reactive balance training including recent trial results testing the novel ReacStep program in older people – Dr Okubo, 20 min
• Practicals and demonstrations in stations for the ReacStep program, the use of objective balance challenge measurement, and practice of balance exercise prescription targeting different intensities of challenge to the balance control system – all presenters, 60 min
• Review strategies that can be used to communicate and engage with patients and/or clients about balance training and exercise progression- Dr Naseri, 20 min
• Facilitated panel discussion to apply translation of workshop activities to clinical practice- all presenters, 30 min
  

Presenters:

Joanna Mania, Injury Matters, Leederville, Western Australia, Australia
Suzanne Butler, Injury Matters, Leederville, Western Australia, Australia

Workshop aims and objectives

This workshop aims to bring together a diverse range of community-based healthcare professionals to explore challenges and solutions in providing collaborative care throughout the community pathway of falls prevention and integrating coordinated multidisciplinary care within their work.  Workshop participants will have the opportunity to work alongside health professionals of similar disciplines and in multidisciplinary groups to learn, connect, and share solutions from differing perspectives.

Workshop objectives

• Build awareness of the older adult patient experience of falls prevention care in the community setting.
• Increase knowledge of the importance of ongoing assessment and monitoring of falls prevention pathways to ensure effectiveness.
• Identify strategies that prioritise integrated care and improve communication and collaboration among healthcare professionals in falls prevention.
• Develop skills in applying multidisciplinary case conferencing for falls prevention.

Target audience

This workshop is suitable for community-based health professionals, including Physiotherapists and Exercise Physiologists, Podiatrists, Pharmacists, Occupational Therapists, Nutritionists and Dietitians, Optometrists, Nurses, and GPs.

Description of workshop content and activities

Establishing cohesive falls prevention pathways for older adults living in the community is integral to achieving positive patient outcomes for falls. The diverse risk factors for falls call for a multidisciplinary approach and the implementation of collaborative strategies within healthcare to ensure a coordinated and effective approach to falls prevention care in the community. This workshop will enable participants to connect with a range of international health professionals working in falls prevention, learn from the perspectives of other health disciplines, and identify strategies for strengthening the collaborative approach to falls prevention in the community setting.

Community-based falls pathways

Workshop participants will be taken on the journey of community-based falls prevention pathways through older adult client case studies. Participants will explore the challenges and opportunities unique to differing health disciplines, strategies for improving communication and collaboration, and opportunities for integrated care in falls prevention pathways. Participants will also receive a unique opportunity to hear from an older adult community member, who will share their perspective and experience of navigating the health system for falls prevention.

Practical application of multidisciplinary case conferencing

This workshop will introduce the principles of multidisciplinary case conferencing as a collaborative approach to falls assessment and intervention in the community. Participants will work within interprofessional groups to apply multidisciplinary case conferencing strategies among older adult client case studies.

Consolidated learning

Participants will leave the workshop with their own action plan for implementing collaborative falls prevention care in their respective healthcare settings. Consolidated workshop and group work notes will be disseminated to all participants following the conference to support the application of ideas and concepts learned.

Workshop hosts, Injury Matters, have delivered the Stay On Your Feet® Program, Western Australia’s leading falls prevention program, for the last 20 years, with the support of the Department of Health WA. The Stay On Your Feet® program provides information, training, and support to older adult community members and professionals working with older adults on preventing falls in the community. 

Presenters:

Professor Anne-Marie Hill, WA Centre for Health & Ageing, The University of Western Australia, Perth Australia
Professor Meg E. Morris, Healthscope & La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
Ms Lorraine Lovitt, Older Persons’ Patient Safety Program, Clinical Excellence Commission, NSW, Sydney, Australia

Target audience: all staff, researchers and practitioners who work in hospital settings and have an interest in hospital fall prevention, including quality and safety, allied health, medical, and nursing team members

Workshop objectives / learning outcomes

1. Understand the latest evidence for hospital fall prevention, including evidence from Australian trials and the recent World Falls Guidelines
2. Develop expert group summaries of key practical implementation activities / gaps based on recent evidence
3. Work through a practical state-based study of embedding fall prevention systematically into comprehensive care
4. Build networks and share knowledge with teams from around Australia who are working to reduce inpatient falls and injuries and improve care for older patients.

Workshop Content and Activities:

This workshop will present a practical summary of the recently published World Guidelines for falls prevention (hospital section) and the research underpinning latest hospital falls systematic reviews. Evidence will be mapped to clinical application to identify how to apply an evidence-based approach to falls and injury prevention in hospital settings. Presenters will lead discussions on how to implement key strategies to prevent falls and injuries in hospitals. Topics will include patient centred communication and education, providing a focus on safe care, especially for people with frailty, cognitive impairment and decreased mobility. We will evaluate clinical practice against evidence, including post falls care and staff training. We will explore state-wide initiatives that use a quality improvement approach to improving care and discuss an important component to this approach, how we place patients / families and carers at the centre of their care. This will include workshop discussions on embedding falls evidence within comprehensive care standards. Discussion and feedback through group collaboration will be undertaken, with interactive learning approaches and case studies. Resources to support post-workshop learning will be provided.