Citation

Flemming PJ, Ramsay K. Home Healthc. Nurse 2012; 30(9): 516-523.

Affiliation

Patricia J. Flemming, PT, DSc, GCS, is a Level IV Physical Therapist at Pi Beta Phi Rehabilitation Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee. She previously practiced as a Level IV Staff Physical Therapist at Vanderbilt Home Care Services, participating in the development of the Falls Risk Assessment, and leading research efforts to validate the tool. Katherine Ramsay, RN-BC, MMHC, BS, CCM, is the Vice President and Director of Patient Care at Vanderbilt Home Care Services, Nashville, Tennessee.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/NHH.0b013e31826a3436

PMID

23026986

Abstract

Identifying older adults at risk for falls is a challenge all home healthcare agencies (HHAs) face. The process of assessing for falls risk begins with the initial home visit. One HHA affiliated with an academic medical center describes its experience in development and use of a Falls Risk Assessment (FRA) tool over a 10-year period. The FRA tool has been modified since initial development to clarify elements of the tool based on research and to reflect changes in the Outcome and Assessment Information Set (OASIS) document. The primary purpose of this article is to share a validated falls risk assessment tool to facilitate identification of fall-related risk factors in the homebound population. A secondary purpose is to share lessons learned by the HHA during the 10 years using the FRA.

Language: en