Sandra MacMillan, RN, BScN,
Irene Swinson, RN, BScN,
Angela Pisan, RN, BScN,
Jennifer Fuller, RN, BScN, MEd
The North York Public Health Department
Introduction
Falls are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in seniors. In Ontario, falls cause 600 deaths annually for those over the age of 65.1 In North York, falls are the second leading cause of hospitalization in females over the age of 65, and the fifth leading cause for males of the same age.2 Hill et al. reported that one third of seniors experience one or more falls each year.3 The City of North York Public Health Department has developed and implemented a Falls Prevention Program in conjunction with community partners, designed to reduce the incidence of falls in seniors. The newest component of this program is the Fall Prevention Clinics which have been modelled after the Fall Prevention Project conducted at the Ottawa-Carleton Health Department and the Community Health Research Unit, University of Ottawa. Preliminary results from the Ottawa study suggest that it was successful in reducing the number of falls, however, a final report is pending. North York Public Health Nurses have worked closely with The Bernard Betel Centre for Creative Living, North York Seniors Centre and Taylor Place.
