What Are The P’s Of Fall Prevention?

Caring for our loved ones when they age is vital as they are more prone to experiencing falls, particularly those with chronic health issues who are more susceptible. Most do not result in serious injury, but there is always a risk that one could lead to broken bones, resulting in the individual becoming withdrawn or home bound, and feel as if they have lost their independence. Luckily there are ways to prevent falls from occurring while helping individuals to remain independent in the comfort of their own homes. What are the P’s of fall prevention? These are several steps caregivers and loved ones can take to help prevent accidents from occurring and in turn, minimising the risk of injuries.

Of older people living in the community, 30% fall each year.

What Causes A Fall?

There are many reason as to why a fall might occur. The most common ones are poor health conditions and physical ailments where medications might be required. These conditions may be present in the following ways:

Poor balance and strength.
Taking multiple medications that can cause dizziness or drowsiness.
Vision problems.
Foot pain or disorders, such as arthritis.
A long-term health condition, such as heart disease, diabetes or  low blood pressure can cause dizziness.

Using the 4 P’s For Fall Prevention

The Centre for Effective Practice develop trusted, evidence-based tools, resources and programs to ensure healthcare providers have the information needed to deliver high-quality care. They created the 4 P’s approach to fall prevention which are Pain, Position, Placement, and Personal Needs.

They guide caregivers to assess the needs of the individual they provide care for.

Pain: Assessing the pain level of the individual in care is vital, allowing the caregiver to understand the level of monitoring they require. Higher pain levels require the issue to be addressed.
Position: Offer assistance if the individual seems to be in an uncomfortable position. By demonstrating openness to helping them, it can ease their concerns and they are more inclined to ask for help.
Placement: The individual’s items being accessible to them is a huge factor in fall prevention. It prevents them from having to travel far and risking a fall.
Personal Needs: Asking upfront about personal needs is a must as it demonstrates good communication in relation to the 3 previous Ps outlined.

Technology to Help Those at Risk of Falling

Our Isaac Fall Alarm

Assistive technology can provide support and reassurance to the elderly and their families, to reduce their risk of falls, and provide them with immediate assistance. The Isaac Fall Alarm is a smart, easy to use, personal alarm which offers reassurance that your loved one can instantly access help whenever they need it. Isaac Care offers two packages with their alarm, Circle of Care Supported and 24/7 Call Centre Supported

The key benefits of the Isaac Fall Alarm includes:

Easy to use: It is a straightforward design and is easy to use for all, especially for those with little to no technological knowledge.
Mobile: Works both in the home and when out and about.
GPS Location: Location of fall alerts is instantly shared with relevant people through the Isaac Care app.
Two-way communication: In the event of an accident, the user can speak to their emergency contacts or our dedicated team directly through the device itself.
Isaac Care App: The seamless integration with the Isaac care app allows the entire family to be notified of any event, keeping everyone up to date.
No Set Up/Installation Required: It is pre-configured so it is ready to use straight out of the box.
No landline needed: The alarm has a built-in sim card, meaning there is no need for a landline connection.
Battery: Long battery life with voice prompts to alert you to low battery levels.

The Isaac fall alarm is connected to our free family caring app, Isaac Care. The app is designed around “Circles of Care” which are groups of people involved in the individual’s care. They are kept up to date with instant in-app notifications. The app sends out an instant notification of any SOS alert to the relevant circle of care, while the alarm itself initiates a phone call to the designated emergency contact.

By creating a space where the 4 P’s for Prevention can be successfully acted out, it provides a safe environment for individuals you are more prone to falls and can prevent serious injuries in the long run. Caregivers can communicate with the individual and support them by using these fall prevention methods. By providing the right care with the right skills and knowledge in the right place and reducing the risk of accidents, life can become more manageable for those at risk living alone.

Get in Touch

Our dedicated team are on hand to assist you in any way. Contact us on (042) 936 8391 or fill in your details in the contact form and one of our team will be in touch.

Back to Blog

5 tips on finding the right homecare provider

Isaac Care Supporting Efficient Hospital Discharge

Delayed discharge refers to the situation where a medical patient is deemed well enough for discharge but they are unable to leave hospital because arrangements for continuing care have not been finalised. There are many reasons for delayed discharge, the most frequent one, impacting over 1,000 patients in 2022, was inadequate supports available to care for them in their homes.

Delayed discharge can occur for a number of different reasons such as:

Challenges caused by the Covid-19 pandemic impacting on the number of transfers of care.
Shortage of carers available to provide home support to patients.
Patients with complex needs needing the right resources.
Lack of community-based respite support in nursing homes or rehabilitative centres.

There can be many negative effects while discharge is delayed in hospitals, such as:

• Risk and increase in contracting infections.
• Overcrowding.
• An increase in hospital and health system costs from use of high cost hospital beds for care.
• It contributes to patient and family stress.

How Isaac Care Supports Efficient Hospital Discharge

At Isaac Care we believe that people recover better in the comfort of their own home. Our aim is to provide support to our clients to enable them to retain their independence.

Isaac Care offers wraparound support enabling clients to recover at home post hospital treatment.

This is done through our unique combination of assistive technology along with our network of specially trained care staff, available nationwide.

Two hands holding each other and delayed discharge

When discharged into our care, we step in with a personalised care plan and closely monitor our clients’ health metrics post discharge in order to reduce the chance of readmission to hospital. Our care partners design a reablement package to support them in getting back to full health.

Our Partnership with Myhomecare

Isaac Care have partnered with MyHomecare to provide high quality personalised care to each of our clients. Our partnership with MyHomecare means we have highly trained and compliant nursing and support staff available from immediate effect.

Myhomecare are the first homecare company in Ireland to receive an internationally recognised JCI Accreditation in Quality and Patient Safety. They are now part of a prestigious group of healthcare services that hold this achievement which include – Mater Private, Bon Secours, Mount Carmel and Merlin Park.

The partnership between Myhomecare and Isaac Care means we can provide a complete care solution. Our remote patient monitoring team keep a close eye on our clients’ vital signs within the first three days following discharge. These days are critical for ensuring your loved one stays well. We then step in with a reablement package from MyHomecare to support your loved one in getting back to full health.

This reablement package ensures efficient discharge from stepdown units, an area where an intermediate level of care is provided. When a client is discharged, a care plan is put in place which ensures they receive high quality homecare along with comprehensive remote patient monitoring. This allows us to ensure the risk of readmission is minimal.

Did You Know?

• There were over 207,000 lost bed days in HSE hospitals last year, due to delayed discharges.

• Over 7,100 patients were medically fit to leave but remained in hospital due to a lack of step-down care.

A rapid community response nurse led team, supported by clinical nurse managers, client care managers and bookings coordinators, allow care to be carried out in the right place, the home. This is done within 24 hours after the client’s hospital assessment has taken place. It enables a speedy discharge from hospital to home, allowing for much needed increased hospital bed capacity.

We can give clinicians access to clients’ health data, which enables data-driven decision making and helps improve patient outcomes. In turn, this reduces the risk of clients being re-admitted to hospital. At Isaac Care, we ensure the right care is delivered in the right place and at the right time.

Get in Touch

Our dedicated team are on hand to assist you in any way. Contact us on (042) 936 8391 or fill in your details in the contact form and one of our team will be in touch.

Tag: homecare