Screening and Assessment Tools for Falls in Older Adults

The Collaborative provides guidance on the work that needs to be accomplished for the establishment of a system-based approach to fall prevention in older adults in Ontario, and is working in two areas: data and measurement as well as fall prevention screening and assessment tools to support a consistent provincial evidence-based approach. [...] The Ontario Fall Prevention Collaborative – Knowledge Resource Working Group aims at identifying and reviewing the tools used in Ontario to screen and assess for falls in older adults across the continuum of care, in order to have a collective understanding of the work being done across the province. [...] Excerpt of Most Frequently Used Screening and Assessment Tools for Fall Prevention in Ontario Preamble: This annotated list of fall prevention screening and assessment tools is not exhaustive in nature and is meant to be a first step in identifying tools commonly used in Ontario. [...] The focus of Phase 3 will be the development of implementation guidelines for the use of specific tools along with a pilot phase of standardizing the use of these tools in practice to track and evaluate change over time. [...] Expected benefits of using the tool BBS is considered a valid and reliable tool for assessing the risk of falling in the elderly and as clinical test of static and dynamic balance abilities.