Call to Action on Falls

In October 2024, a new alliance was established following an October roundtable on Falls Prevention, which brought together community organisations, professional associations and individuals representing consumers, academics, service providers and health professionals. The alliance is calling for a National Action Plan on Falls to ensure a comprehensive and coordinated approach, including a public health campaign, community exercise programs, better infrastructure and services, plus delivery of culturally appropriate education and resources. A full summary report can be found via the link below.

Falls Prevention Roundtable Summary Report

A new alliance was established following the October roundtable, which brought together community organisations, professional associations and individuals representing consumers, academics, service providers and health professionals. Members have endorsed the following statement and include NeuRA, the Australian New Zealand Falls Prevention Society, the Centre of Research Excellence – Prevention of Falls Injuries, Rotary South Pacific Falls Prevention Committee, Australian Physiotherapy Association, Injury Matters, Council On The Ageing NSW, WalkSydney, The Heart Foundation, Australian Rheumatology Association, Western Alliance, Occupational Therapy Australia, Chinese Australian Services Society, Better Health Network, National Ageing Research Institute and the Inner West Council.

As an alliance of community organisations, professional associations and individuals representing consumers, academics, service providers and health professionals, we call for urgent national action on falls prevention, including an action plan, a national awareness campaign and equitable provision and coordination of services to prevent and manage falls in older Australians.

Please find additional perspectives from the roundtable below via links

Professor Maria Crotty – Professor of Rehabilitation and Aged Care, Flinders Medical Centre

Professor Mandy Nikpour – Rheumatologist RPA & Director of Sydney Musculoskeletal Health

Kelly Williams – Rotary Falls Prevention Program

Carolyn Loton – Director, Juntos Marketing

Diana Olsberg – Economic Sociologist & Associate Professor, UNSW

Dr Rik Dawson – President, Australian Physiotherapy Association

Bob Barnes – Rotarian

Professor Stephen Lord – Senior Principal Research Fellow, NeuRA

ANZFPSOn Friday 29th April 2022, a brainstorming session led by CRE-Prevention of Falls Injuries – Prof Cathie Sherrington, ANZ Fall Prevention Society – Prof Kim Delbaere and NSW Falls Prevention and Healthy Ageing Network – Prof Stephen Lord was held on what we can do differently to increase focus on fall prevention in community dwellers in policy and program funding in NSW and nationally. As a result, a Falls action plan was devised, and a page focused on action is now available on the ANZ Fall prevention Society page: https://www.anzfallsprevention.org/action-on-falls-prevention/.