An occupational therapist's home visit reduces falls for six months in community-dwelling elderly admitted to the emergency department

• Published in: Asian journal of gerontology and geriatrics Vol. 10; no. 1; p. 44
• Main Authors: Tong, H K, Chu, M L M, Wong, C M, Fong, N K K, Lit, C H A, Rainer, T H, Cheng, W C S, Au, L Y F, Fung, K K H, Chan, M T E, Wong, D, Chan, C M B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hong Kong Hong Kong Academy of Medicine 01.06.2015
• Subjects: Falls; Occupational therapy; Survival analysis; Hong Kong China
• ISSN: 1819-1576; 1819-1576

Background and purpose: Home safety interventions reduce rate of falls and risk of falling, in particular when the service is delivered by an occupational therapist (OT). This study aimed to assess its application in the local context. Methods: This was a multi-centred randomised controlled trial involving 204 ambulatory elders aged ≥65 years presenting with accidental fall to accident and emergency departments of 3 acute hospitals in Hong Kong. Subjects in the intervention group received home safety interventions by an OT during a home visit, whereas subjects in the control group received a wish-well visit by a trained lay researcher. Both groups received bi-monthly telephone follow-up over 12 months by a blinded investigator for any subsequent fall, supplemented by clinical data retrieved from the Clinical Information System. Results: 79 in the intervention group and 88 in the control group were analysed on an intention-to-treat basis. There were significant differences in the number of fallers (p=0.035) and number of falls (p=0.027) in the 6-month period between the 2 groups. Significant differences were found by survival analysis at 6 months (log-rank test, 4.827; p=0.028). Conclusion: Home safety interventions by an OT can reduce community elderly falls for 6 months for elders admitted to the emergency department of acute hospitals in Hong Kong.