Mobility and Falls Prevention for Older Adults
Falls and their related complications are the leading cause of both fatal and non-fatal injuries among adults over the age of 65.[1]They are a major threat to independent living, increase the risk of an early death, and are responsible for a high number of brain injuries in older adults.[2] Falls are also the number one cause of hospital admissions for injuries in older adults, and are responsible for increased use of medical services.[3]
Each year, up to a third of adults over the age of 65 who live at home experience a fall, and almost two-thirds of older adults who suffer a fall within the past year will fall again.[4]Older adults with chronic conditions are at higher risk of falls,[5]making older adults dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid particularly vulnerable.[6],[7]
However, falling is not an inevitable part of aging. This webinar will provide an overview of the importance of falls assessment and falls prevention for older adults and their caregivers and offer concrete interventions and strategies to improve mobility and prevent falls.
By the end of this webinar, participants should be able to:
- Recognize the public health impact of falls and injuries in older adults
- Identify health-related factors and environmental factors that can lead to increased risk of falling or injury
- Describe a gait and balance evaluation
- List interventions that may help to reduce falls among dual eligible older adults
Featured Speakers:
- David Reuben, M.D., Chief of Geriatrics Medicine, at University of California, Los Angeles
- Nancy Lathan, PT, PhD, Harvard University
- Priscilla Gazarian, NP, RN, Harvard University
- Chelsea Gilchrist, MGS, National Council on Aging, Center for Healthy Aging
- Sachin Jain, MD, MBA, CareMore Health
Intended Audience:
This webinar is intended for a wide range of stakeholders - providers, health care professionals (such as home care agency administrators and staff), social workers, and front-line staff of Medicare Advantage plans, Medicare-Medicaid Plans (MMPs), Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs), and PACE Organizations interested in learning more about falls prevention.
CME/CE credit information:
Accreditation
- The American Geriatrics Society is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
Continuing Medical Education
- The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) – American Geriatrics Society designates this live educational activity for a maximum of 1.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)TM. Physicians should claim only credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Continuing Education Credit
- National Association of Social Workers – This program has been approved by the National Association of Social Workers (approval #886708347-4767) for 1 continuing education contact hour.
The following states do not accept National CE Approval Programs for Social Work: New York, Michigan, and West Virginia.
The following states currently do not recognize NASW National Approval: New Jersey, Idaho, and Oregon.
Individuals are strongly encouraged to check with their specific regulatory boards or other agencies to confirm that courses taken from these accrediting bodies will be accepted by that entity.
DISCLOSURE OF FINANCIAL INTERESTS:
As an accredited provider of Continuing Medical Education, the American Geriatrics Society continuously strives to ensure that the education activities planned and conducted by our faculty meet generally accepted ethical standards as codified by the ACCME, the Food and Drug Administration, and the American Medical Association's Guide for Gifts to Physicians. To this end, we have implemented a process wherein everyone who is in a position to control the content of an education activity has disclosed to us all relevant financial relationships with any commercial interests as related to the content of their presentations and under which we work to resolve any real or apparent conflicts of interest. The existence of commercial or financial interests of speakers related to the subject matter of their presentations should not be construed as implying bias or decreasing the value of their presentations. However, disclosure should help participants form their own judgments. Those speakers who disclosed affiliations or financial interests with commercial interests involved with the products or services to which they may refer are listed below. We have also noted if a speaker has indicated that s/he will be discussing a commercial product or an off-label or investigational use.
The following planners/faculty have returned disclosure forms indicating that they (and/or their spouses/partners) have no affiliation with, or financial interest in, any commercial interest that may have direct interest in the subject matter of their presentation(s)
Gregg Warshaw, MD
No relevant financial interests or affiliations.
Nancy Wilson, MA, MSW
No relevant financial interests or affiliations.
David Reuben, MD
No relevant financial interests or affiliations.
Nancy Latham, PhD, PT
No relevant financial interests or affiliations.
Priscilla Gazarian, PhD, CNS, RN
No relevant financial interests or affiliations.
Chelsea Gilchrist, MGS
No relevant financial interests or affiliations.
Sachin Jain, MD, MBA
No relevant financial interests or affiliations.
[1]Barton, A. (2009). Patient safety and quality: An evidence‐based handbook for nurses. Aorn Journal, 90(4), 601-602.
[2]Aging & Health A to Z. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.healthinaging.org/aging-and-health-a-to-z/topic:falls/
[3]Ibid.
[4]Barton, A. (2009). Patient safety and quality: An evidence‐based handbook for nurses. Aorn Journal, 90(4), 601-602.
[5]Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. (2017). Fact sheet risk factors for falls. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/steadi/pdf/STEADI-FactSheet-RiskFactors-508.pdf
[6]49 percent of older adults dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid have four or more chronic conditions.
[7]Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (2014). Physical and mental health condition prevalence and comorbidity among fee-for-service medicare-medicaid enrollees. Retrieved from https://www.cms.gov/Medicare-Medicaid-Coordination/Medicare-and-Medicaid-Coordination/Medicare-Medicaid-Coordination-Office/Downloads/Dual_Condition_Prevalence_Comorbidity_2014.pdf