In nursing home patients, which intervention is most effective in decreasing falls?

Abstract

In nursing home patients, which intervention is most effective in decreasing falls? EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWERIn patients living in nursing homes, exercise interventions overall can reduce the numbers of falls by 27%, patients who fall by 20%, and recurrent fallers by 30%. Balance exercises (33% reduction) and longterm exercises (20% reduction) are more effective than control group interventions. Exercise combined with other interventions such as medication review and environmental modification can reduce the rate of falls and the number of fallers by 40% and 10%, respectively (SOR: A, meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials).