In brief Age and Ageing CAG endorse new report on Falls prevention

The Australian and New Zealand Falls Prevention Society (ANZFPS), together with the Centre of Research Excellence (CRE) in the Prevention of Falls Injuries, have launched their latest report ‘The rising cost of falls: Why investing in prevention can’t wait’, which details their vision for Australia to have a world class National Falls Prevention Strategy by 2025.

Professor Kim Delbaere, President of the ANZFPS, is a Senior Principal Research Scientist and the Director of Innovation & Translation at the Falls, Balance & Injury Research Centre at Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA). Professor Delbaere says the report was created not due to the lack of research being done in the area of falls prevention, but the lack of awareness about the scale and severity of the problem.

“Australia was well ahead with their vision 20 years ago (when they launched the National Injury Prevention and Safety Strategy 2004 – 2014) but falls prevention has not been seen as a priority issue by policymakers and government since. While some local and state-based initiatives exist, there is little national coordinated action and resource sharing, and these efforts have been unsustainable without ongoing funding. This lack of coordination has led to inefficiencies, duplication of efforts, and a lack of coherence in overall strategy.”

“Falls and fall injuries are a large and growing problem for all Australians. Fall injuries in older adults cost Australian healthcare systems $2.5 billion each year and can be devastating for individuals and their loved ones. Concerns about falling are more common than falls itself, and have (also) been associated with various negative outcomes, including depression, decreased quality-of-life and social isolation.”

While engagement with the report has had a promising start, Professor Delbaere highlights the importance of the work still to come.

“Addressing falls prevention in Australia will require a concerted effort from policymakers, healthcare providers, researchers, and the public to raise awareness, increase coordination and resources, and develop evidence-based strategies to reduce falls and their impact. We look forward to working with government and our partnering organisations to make a difference in years to come.”

This report has been endorsed by the Age and Ageing Clinical Academic Group of SPHERE. The AAA CAG will continue to support this initiative through the sharing of knowledge and resources over the years to come.

For more information and to access the report, go to the ANZFPS website If you would like to get involved in this Call To Action, please email Prof Kim Delbaere at k.delbaere@neura.edu.au.

By Kaitlin Bonner