Wimmera Health Care Group will raise awareness of falls prevention with ‘April Falls Day’ on Friday April 1.
Clinical risk manager Sally Taylor said a team of staff would use the health promotion event to highlight ways to prevent falls in the community, hospital and residential aged care.
“We have an outpatient clinic for patients at risk of falling called the Gait and Balance Clinic and we want people to know that service is here, and what other services are available in the community” Mrs Taylor said.
“People from the community who are at risk of falls or who might be worried about a family member at risk of falls are invited to attend an afternoon tea from 2-3pm in the Arapiles Building Rehabilitation Gym where a range of allied health staff will have stalls with information.”
Mrs Taylor said she hoped staff and patients would think more about falls through a range of activities as part of the day.
“Staff will also be going around the wards on Friday talking to other staff and patients about falls prevention and giving them information and crosswords relating to April Falls Day,” she said.
Falls prevention is an important activity for Wimmera Health Care Group as falls are one of the largest causes of harm for older persons (aged 65 years or more) and lead to loss of independence and often admission to hospital.