The Gravity of Gravity - Senior Falls Prevention

This course made possible by an educational grant from The Winter Park Health Foundation.

Program Overview

Each year, 1 out of 3 adults age 65 and older fall. This program will discuss and demonstrate statistics, in home hazards, risk factors, management of fall victims, model fall prevention programs and a case review. Health Care Providers have a unique opportunity to help reduce falls by when visiting the home of an elderly person or interviewing them after an injury occurs from a fall, they can identify potential fall hazards and bring those to the attention of the resident(s) and provide resources for additional recommendations e.g. risk reduction devices.

Course Outline

Overview, Cause & Statistics
- Richard Slevinski, MD, FACEP

This session will focus on the facts about aging in our society; issues that face our entire social system & aging; and issues relating to the end of life and death. These topics will then be applied to the world of emergency care with the hope of gaining insight into the needs of our aging society over the next 20 years.


In-Home Hazards and Risk Factors
- Carolyn Sithong, OTR/L, SCEM, CAPS, Richard Slevinski, MD, FACEP

This session will focus on the facts about aging in our society; issues that face our entire social system & aging; and issues relating to the end of life and death. These topics will then be applied to the world of emergency care with the hope of gaining insight into the needs of our aging society over the next 20 years.


Management of Falls
- Todd Husty, DO, FACEP

The evaluation of elderly patients who have fallen is generally much more complex than the evaluation of other age groups. The fall can be due to hazards found in the home. It is also more frequently due to other medical conditions. Even the treatment and destination decisions are more complex. A through description of the evaluation, treatment and destination decisions will be presented.


A Trip to the ED: Fall to Finish
- Christopher Hunter, MD, PhD

Follow the path of a theoretical patient from his fall to final disposition and learn the evidence for best practices, including multidisciplinary approaches to fall prevention, along the way. This presentation will discuss the consequences of falls in the elderly and the evidence-based guidelines for fall prevention. Finally, it will address the incorporation of fall prevention into clinical practice.


Working Models: Programs Already in Existence
- Joe Nelson, DO, FACOEP, FACEP, CAQ-EMS

This session will review current, successful senior related programs in Florida. Representatives from different agencies will be on hand to talk about the different aspects their programs offer.

Panel Discussion - Moderated by Ernest Page II, MD, FACEP A
- Q& A session with panel members Richard Slevinski, MD, FACEP, Carolyn Sithong, OTR/L, SCEMS, CAPS, Lisa VanderWerf-Hourigan and Diana Silvey; Chase Rozell, EMT-P regarding topics / issues related to senior falls prevention.

Course Objectives

• List activities older adults could participate in to improve their physical mobility.
• Identify environmental/home safety hazards.
• State common adverse effects of prescription and nonprescription medications.

Who Should Take This Course

This activity is designed for Paramedics, EMT's Firefighters, EMS/Fire Administrators, EMS Medical Directors, EMS Educators, Emergency Physicians, Emergency Physician Assistants, Emergency Nurses, First Responders and other Allied Health Professionals or any individual wishing to know more about senior falls prevention.

CME/CEU/CEH Information

The Emergency Medicine Learning and Resource Center is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians. The EMLRC designates this enduring material for a maximum of 6 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. The EMLRC is approved as a provider of nursing education by the Florida Board of Nursing, Provider #2731. 6 nursing contact hours will be provided by the EMLRC. Do not send this certificate to the Board of Nursing. Retain it for your records for four (4) years. The FL. Dept of Health, Bureau of EMS Approval Code# 20-424209, for 6 hours of continuing education credit. Attendees should claim only hours for which he/she actually spent in the education activity. The following continuing education activity is approved by The Emergency Medicine Learning and Resource Center, a Continuing Education Coordinating Board for Emergency Medical Services (CECBEMS) accredited organization, Provider #EMLRC0003. Activity# 13-EMLRC-F3-0004 is approved for 6 hours of continuing education credit; attendees should claim only hours for which he/she actually spent in the education activity.

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