Online resources for over 65s
Download the Bone Health Risk Factor Sheet
Visit the following websites and pages:
Seniors Elder abuse - information about elder abuse.
Office for Seniors - information about staying well and healthy.
Publications for older people - Ministry of Health publications section for older people.
Seniorline - information on how to get help to stay at home or find relief care for caregivers.
Fight Flu - information on influenza and flu vaccination.
Care Publications - Where from here publication - information for older people.
New Zealand Wound Care Society - Pressure Injury page - information on how to prevent pressure injuries.
Nutrition and physical activity
Download the Physical Activity for Older People factsheet - information about physical activity for people 65 years and over.
Download or order the Eating for Healthy Older People booklet - food information including nutrition, food groups, healthy weight, food safety, and vitamins and minerals.
Download the Vitamin D brochure – information about the importance of taking vitamin D for older people.
Download the Otago Exercise Programme manual in English - A home-based, individually tailored strength and balance retraining programme
Download the Otago Exercise Programme manual in Te Reo - A home-based, individually tailored strength and balance retraining programme
Visit the following websites:
The Heart Foundation - information about heart disease.
NZ Nutrition Foundation - information about healthy and enjoyable food choices.
Alcohol.org.nz - Information, advice, research and resources to help prevent alcohol-related harm.
Sport New Zealand - information about how to get into sport.
Your local council website will also have information on sport and activities for people over 65.
Support services
Visit the following websites:
Age Concern - information and support services for people over 65.
Grey Power - advocacy organisation promoting the welfare and wellbeing of older people.
Carers NZ - advice, resources, learning, and support for carers.
Alzheimers New Zealand - find your local Alzheimers organisation.
Home safety
Visit the New Zealand Government website - information about improving safety in your home by doing home modifications.
New Zealand Superannuation and Veteran’s Pension
Visit the Senior Services webpage - information about NZ Super and veterans.
Budgeting information
Visit the following websites:
Sorted - use the Sorted budgeting tool.
Financial Capability Charitable Trust - free, confidential budgeting advice.
Legal issues
Visit the Office for Seniors website - information about Enduring Power of Attorney (EPA).
Online resources for health professionals
Falls & fractures outcomes dashboard
The falls & fractures outcomes dashboard defines and measures outcomes that matter to older people. It helps health sector partners to evaluate the benefits of services they provide to older people and drive innovation and development.
More about the falls & fractures outcomes dashboard
Strength and balance
Download the Otago Exercise Programme manual in English - A home-based, individually tailored strength and balance retraining programme
Download the Otago Exercise Programme manual in Te Reo - A home-based, individually tailored strength and balance retraining programme
Future Learn - This programme will help learners understand the effects of ageing and fitness programming for older adults, and provide practical ways to better support and deliver for people in the community.
Click here to visit the Future Learn website
The TUG test
The purpose of the Timed up and Go (TUG) test is to assess mobility. An older adult who takes ≥12 seconds to complete the TUG has a high risk of falling.
The stay independent toolkit for clinicians tells you more about the TUG test.
Download the Stay Independent Toolkit for Clinicians booklet
New Zealand Hip Fracture Registry
Over 4,000 New Zealanders suffer from a hip fracture annually. The Hip Fracture Registry allows for better analysis of national data and improves quality and consistency of care after a hip fracture through the use of a set of key quality indicators.
Visit the Australia and New Zealand Hip Fracture Registry website
Australia and New Zealand Hip Fracture Registry 2018 Annual Report
Treatment for osteoporosis is key to reducing minimal trauma fractures. However, data from the Australia and New Zealand Hip Fracture Registry report 2018 shows only 25 percent of patients in New Zealand who undergo surgery leave hospital on active osteoporosis treatment.
In New Zealand the Live Stronger for Longer movement is a mulit-sector, systemwide response to the threat that falls and fractures present to older people. As well as the hip fracture registry, a key focus of the movement is the implementation of fracture liaison services (FLS). The purpose of FLS is to ensure that all people who sustain fractures caused by osteoporosis undergo bone health assessment, receive osteoporosis treatment where needed and are referred to strength and balance programmes to prevent future falls.
The report calls for osteoporosis plans to be made a priority for hip fracture patients leaving hospital.
Reducing harm from falls programme
The Health Quality & Safety Commission's Reducing Harm from Falls programme focuses on older people receiving care, whether in hospital, residential care, or in their own home.
More about the Reducing Harm from Falls programme
Ask, Assess, Act
The Ask, Assess, Act resources developed by the Health Quality & Safety Commission for health professionals are popular and practical to use.
Various resources are available on the Health Quality & Safety Commission website including:
- help sheets
- pocket cards
- posters.
Visit the Ask, Assess, Act page
10 Topics in reducing harm from falls
The Health Quality & Safety Commission has 10 topics in reducing harm from falls.These are learning activities for people who want to know how to prevent and reduce harm from falls in older people.
The 10 topics:
- Topic 1: Falls in older people – the impacts
- Topic 2: Which older person is at risk of falling? Ask, assess, act
- Topic 3: Falls risk assessment – a multifactorial approach?
- Topic 4: Addressing risk factors in an individualised care plan
- Topic 5: Safe environment and safe care are essential to prevent falls
- Topic 6: After a fall - what should happen?
- Topic 7: Why hip fracture prevention and care matter
- Topic 8: Medicines: balancing benefits and falls risks
- Topic 9: Improving balance and strength to prevent falls
- Topic 10: An integrated approach to falls in older people: what is your part
Osteoporosis
Download the All about Osteoporosis brochure
More information about Guidance on the diagnosis and management of Osteoporosis in New Zealand
Stay Independent Toolkit for Clinicians
The Stay Independent Toolkit for Clinicians has helpful resources to encourage older people to self-assess their falls risk and follow with a conversation with their health professional.
The toolkit was adapted for the New Zealand setting by bpacnz. It's based on materials for stopping elderly accidents death and injuries developed by the United States' Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Visit the Stay independent falls prevention toolkit for clinicians page
Other resources
Download the Exercise Effectiveness Criteria booklet - booklet for health professionals and community group strength and balance programme providers.
Visit the following web pages:
Healthy Ageing Strategy - The Ministry of Health's Healthy Ageing Strategy provides strategic direction for change and a set of actions to improve the health of older people.
Health of Older People - The Ministry of Health's section on the health of older people tells you about the work their older people team is doing.
Videos
Strong bones after 50
Royal College of Physicians' strong bones after 50 video.
Maximising the health of our older patients
Dr Helen Fulcher, Goodfellow GP Advisor talks with University of Auckland Head of School of Population Health and general practitioner Professor Ngaire Kerse about maximising the health of our older patients.
Contact the ACC Falls team
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Let us know if there's something you hoped to find here.
Email: preventfalls@acc.co.nz
