DESCRIPTION OF MATERIALS FOR PURCHASE

The Workbook or Guide for Clinicians includes reproducible point-of-care materials for clinicians and handouts for older adults. A review of risk factors and suggested interventions for reducing the risk of falls among older adults is followed by a section on strategies for safe medication prescribing. Included in this Workbook is The Medication Reduction Strategy which presents: 1) the rationale supporting the need for medication review and reduction in older patients with multiple health conditions receiving multiple medications; 2) the principles of safe prescribing for older patients; and 3) practical steps that can be followed to reduce the likelihood of adverse medication effects such as falling. Also included are Assessment/Treatment Worksheets which present the known risk factors for falls and evidence-based treatment for each risk factor in a one-page format for ease of use in clinical practice. The point-of-care materials found in the Workbook are:

• "Recognizing The Problem: A Summary of Proven Risk Factors for Falls and Suggested Interventions"
• "Fall Risk Assessment/Treatment Checklist for Doctors and Nurse Practitioners"
• "Fall Risk Assessment/Treatment Worksheet for Home Care Providers"
• "Fall Risk Assessment/Treatment Worksheet for Physical and Occupational Therapists"
• "Medication Reduction Strategy for Older Patients with Multiple Health Conditions: Safe and Effective Medication Decision-Making"
• "Medical Reduction Strategy: Summary"
• "Assessment of Medication Effects That May Increase Chance of Falling"

The handout materials found in the Workbook are designed for clinicians to give to patients. These materials found in the Workbook are:

• "Fall Risk Checklist for Persons 70+ years"
• "Postural Hypotension: The "Other Important Blood Pressure"
• "What You Can Do to Help Avoid Bad Effects of Medications"
• "Gait Tips"
• "Getting Up From the Floor"
• "A Guide to Choosing Safe Footwear"
• "Medication Record (blank)"
• "Balance Exercises Levels I-V"
• "Home Safety Checklist"

The Fall Prevention Brochures were designed by the Connecticut Collaboration for Fall Prevention (CCFP) in collaboration with front line clinicians and graphic artists to professionally present our messages. It has been our experience that end users are more likely to attend to information that is attractively presented.  Clinicians and older adults are more likely to regard content as substantive if it is well presented. The copyrighted CCFP brochures and Workbook are available for purchase by clinical organizations for use in their fall prevention programming. The printed brochures for purchase are described below:

The Starter Kit is highly recommended for clinicians who are not familiar with and/or have not previously used the information or materials that support the evidence-based approach to falls risk assessment and intervention presented on this website. Contents of the Starter Kit include 100 Passbooks, 100 Trifold brochures, 100 Medication brochures, and 100 Postural Hypotension Brochures which are described below and one Clinician Workbook. We recommend starting with the complete package.

The Passbook is designed for older adults who are at risk for falling and contains a list of fall risk factors with recommended interventions. We recommend that Passbooks be given out by healthcare providers, visiting nurses, etc. to older adults during office or home visits. The older adult should go over the Passbook with a healthcare provider to identify his/her risk factors and should take the Passbook when visiting healthcare providers

The Trifold Brochure is tailored to older adults and contains very general information on falls. These are useful for waiting rooms at healthcare offices, senior centers, and in visiting nurse admission packets.

The Medication Brochure or "Don't let your medications trip you up" is intended for older adults. This brochure outlines the steps to avoid the possibility of having bad effects from medications, such as a fall. The brochure also gives advice on how to talk to your health care providers about medications.

The Postural Hypotension Brochure or "Heads Up! Postural Hypotension: The Other Blood Pressure" is intended for older adults, describes the common problem of postural hypotension and explains why older adults should be concerned about it. The brochure also includes how to be checked for postural hypotension and outlines strategies for treatment.

Last Modified: February 28, 2008

©Copyright 2005, Mary E. Tinetti, M.D.
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