The aim of this project funded by the Health Research Board (HRB) Applied Partnership Award (APA) 2017 was to investigate the implementation and sustainability of an integrated falls prevention pathway for community-dwelling older people, specifically, to identify any gaps or delays in the provision of treatment to older people at risk of falls and to assess the scalability of the Integrated Falls Prevention Pathway. The study was conducted with stakeholders in the HSE Services for Older People, local hospitals, and community services in Cork-Kerry Community Healthcare Organisation (CHO4). Principal Investigator for the study was Dr Sheena McHugh.  Over the course of the project research was carried out by Dr Susan Calnan, Dr Rebecca Dennehy and Dr Caragh Flannery. 

Why did we do this research?

Falls are one of the most serious and common threats to older people.  It is possible to reduce the risk of falls by assessing individuals' risk factors and providing appropriate treatment if neccesary.  The integrated Fall Prevention Pathway in Cork-Kerry Community Healthcare Organisation is one example of an integrated care pathway in the  National Integrated Care Programme for Older People. The service provided access to multifactorial assessment for older people in Cork city and county in dedicated falls risk assessment clinics. 

What was involved?

There were two main work packages:

• Work package 1 investigated the delivery of falls prevention interventions and services in the pathway using 'process mapping' and combined qualitative data from the service.
• Work package 2 assessed the scalability (suitability for scaling up) of the Integrated Falls Prevention Pathway through interviews and an online survey with senior health service stakeholders involved in the service. 

Falls Prevention Project Outputs

Publications

• Calnan, S., Lee, K. & McHugh, S. Assessing the scalability of an integrated falls prevention service for community-dwelling older people: a mixed methods study. BMC Geriatr 22, 17 (2022).  https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-021-02717-6 

• Caragh Flannery, Rebecca Dennehy, Fiona Riordan, Finola Cronin, Eileen Moriaty, Spencer Turvey, Kieran O’Connor, Patrick Barry, Agnes Jonsson, Eoin Duggan, Liz O’Sullivan, Eilis O’Reilly, Sarah-Jo Sinnott, Sheena McHugh. Enhancing referral processes within an integrated fall prevention pathway for older people: a mixed-methods study. BMJ Open 2022;12:e056182.  https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/8/e056182

Presentations

• 14th European Health Conference: Public Health Futures in a Changing World (Poster Presentation) "A qualitative study to identify factors influencing the perceived acceptability, appropriateness and feasibility of implementing a falls risk assessment service in primary care" Presenter: Dr Susan Calnan. 10/11/2021
• 14th European Health Conference: Public Health Futures in a Changing World (Poster Presentation) "A study to assess the scalability of an integrated falls prevention service for community-dwelling older people" Presenter: Dr Susan Calnan. 11/11/2021
• Association of University Department of General Practice in Ireland (AUDGPI) Annual Joint Scientific Conference (Oral Presentation) “A study to assess the scalability of an integrated falls prevention service for community-dwelling older people” & “A qualitative study to identify factors influencing the perceived acceptability, appropriateness and feasibility of implementing a falls risk assessment service in primary care. Presenter: Dr Susan Calnan. 26/01/2021
• EuGMs e 16th International Congress 2020: Covid-19 Lessons and Challenges for Older Adults (Oral Presentation)"Risk factor profile of attendees to community falls risk assessment clinics" Presenter: Eoin Duggan. 07-09/10/2020
• UK Implementation Science Research Conference 2020 (Oral presentation) “A qualitative study to examine the acceptability, appropriateness and feasibility of implementing an integrated falls prevention pathway for older people” Presenter: Dr Susan Calnan. 16/07/2020
• Society for Academic Primary Care (SAPC) 49th ASM: Living and Dying Well (Poster Presentation)  "A qualitative study to identify factors influencing the perceived acceptability, appropriateness and feasibility of implementing a falls risk assessment service in primary care" Presenter: Dr Susan Calnan. 30/06/2020
• Society for Academic Primary Care (SAPC) 49th ASM: Living and Dying Well (Poster Presentation) "A study to assess the scalability of an integrated falls prevention service for community-dwelling older people" Presenter: Dr Susan Calnan. 01/07/2020
• Irish Gerontology Society 2019 (Oral presentation) “Investigating the Delivery of Falls Prevention Interventions to Older People Following Multi-Factorial Risk Assessment: A Cross-Sectional Study” Presenter: Dr Rebecca Dennehy 26/09/2019
• AFFINITY National Falls and Bone Health Symposium 2019 (Poster) “An Evaluation of the Implementation of an Integrated Falls and Fractures Pathway” Presenter: Dr Rebecca Dennehy. 18/09/2019

Research Summaries:

Downloads available below 

Brief 2-page overview of Project 

Summary of Project findings