Falls
Falls are serious safety risks that often lead to injury. For older people a fall can mean loss of independence and a reduced quality of life. Preventing falls is essential to every care setting to support the wellbeing of older people and the delivery of high‑quality, person‑centred care.
Falls are one of the biggest causes of injury for older people in Australia. They can happen when people are in their own homes, in hospitals and in aged care homes. Falls are a major safety concern because they can have long‑lasting effects on a person’s health and independence.
Our Falls Guidelines give practical advice on things like balance, mobility, medications, vision, footwear, the care environment, and what to do after someone has a fall.
Professionals that provide care can use these guidelines to support the prevention of falls and related injuries by partnering with the person to find what strategies work best for them.
Falls guidelines
The Falls Guidelines provide suggested strategies for professionals in hospitals, residential aged care services and community care to prevent falls and reduce harm. Strategies in these guidelines help translate complex information into straightforward steps to address the underlying risk factor or issue that would otherwise lead to a fall.
There are two types of strategies in the guidelines: recommendations and good practice points. Recommendations are strategies that have strong research and evidence behind them to prevent falls and harm. A good practice point is supported by expert opinion on best practice and is based on research.
Interactive falls illustrations
Our interactive illustrations let you click around the room to identify common issues in hospitals, residential aged care services and the community.
How to use this tool
- Look around the room shown in the illustration.
- Click on any area or object where you think a fall risk might be present. These are highlighted using coloured dots.
- When a pop‑up appears, read the information to understand the risk factor and why it matters.
- Continue exploring until you have found all 16 risk factors.
- Use what you learn to help identify and reduce fall risks in real‑world settings.
Hospitals
Residential Aged Care Services
Community Care
To provide feedback on the Falls Guidelines or access the reference documents please complete this form.