Evidence for your Practice: Occupational Therapy Fall Reduction Home Visit Program

Article for Review: 

Chu, M. M. L., Fong, K. N. K., Lit, A. C. H., Rainer, T. H., Cheng, S. W. C., Au, F. L. Y., ... & Tong, H. K. (2017). An Occupational Therapy Fall Reduction Home Visit Program for Community‐Dwelling Older Adults in Hong Kong After an Emergency Department Visit for a Fall. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 65(2): 346-372

This randomized control trial investigated the effects of an occupational therapy fall reduction home visit program for older adults admitted to the emergency department (ED) for a fall and discharged directly home. Participants in the intervention group received one home visit from an OT within 2 weeks of hospital discharge. The control group received a well-wishing visit from a research assistant.

Conclusion: One OT visit after a fall was more effective than a well-wishing visit at reducing future falls at 6 months. A booster OT visit at 6 months is suggested.

Read the abstract