Background: the Falls Risk for Older People in the Community assessment (FROP-Com) tool was designed for use in targeted multi-factorial falls prevention programmes. It fills the gap between the short screening tools and the longer assessment tools, e.g. the physiological profile assessment (PPA). The aim of this study was to determine the reliability and predictive accuracy of the FROP-Com. Methods: the intra-rater and inter-rater reliability studies were performed with 20 participants each. The prospective study was performed with 344 community-dwelling older people presenting to an emergency department after a fall and being discharged directly home. Following a home-based assessment, including the FROP-Com, Timed Up and Go (TUG) and functional Reach (FR), participants were monitored for falls for 12 months. Results: the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) for intra-rater reliability and inter-rater reliability for the FROP-Com was 0.93 (95% CI 0.84-0.97) and 0.81 (95% CI 0.59-0.92) respectively. The AUC for the FROP-Com was 0.68 (95% CI 0.63-0.74). At the cut-off 18/19, sensitivity was 71.3% (95% CI 64.4-78.3) and specificity was 56.1% (95% CI 48.9-63.4). The AUC for the TUG was 0.63 (95% CI 0.57-0.69) and for the FR was 0.60 (95% CI 0.54-0.66). Conclusion: the FROP-Com demonstrated good reliability and a moderate capacity to predict falls.

Background: the aim of this study was to develop a brief screening tool for use in the emergency department (ED), to identify people who require further assessment and management. Methods: this prospective study included 344 community-dwelling older people presenting to an ED after a fall. After direct discharge participants had a home-based assessment performed that included the Falls Risk for Older People in the Community (FROP-Com), a comprehensive, yet simple, multifactorial falls risk assessment tool. They were then monitored for falls for 12 months. The items from the FROP-Com assessment tool predictive of falls in a multifactorial logistic regression were used to develop the FROP-Com screen. Results: the items significantly predictive of falls and combined to form the FROP-Com screen were: falls in the previous 12 months, observation of the person's balance and the need for assistance to perform domestic activities of daily living. At the cut-off with the highest Youden index sensitivity was 67.1% (95% CI 59.9–74.3) and specificity was 66.7% (95% CI 59.8–73.6). Conclusion: the FROP-Com screen has a relatively good capacity to predict falls. It can be used in time-limited situations to classify those at high risk of falls who require more detailed assessment and management.

Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of goal focused telephone coaching by practice nurses in improving glycaemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes in Australia. Design Prospective, cluster randomised controlled trial, with general practices as the unit of randomisation. Setting General practices in Victoria, Australia. Participants 59 of 69 general practices that agreed to participate recruited sufficient patients and were randomised. Of 829 patients with type 2 diabetes (glycated haemoglobin (HbA_1c) >7.5% in the past 12 months) who were assessed for eligibility, 473 (236 from 30 intervention practices and 237 from 29 control practices) agreed to participate. Intervention Practice nurses from intervention practices received two days of training in a telephone coaching programme, which aimed to deliver eight telephone and one face to face coaching episodes per patient. Main outcome measures The primary end point was mean absolute change in HbA_1c between baseline and 18 months in the intervention group compared with the control group. Results The intervention and control patients were similar at baseline. None of the practices dropped out over the study period; however, patient attrition rates were 5% in each group (11/236 and 11/237 in the intervention and control group, respectively). The median number of coaching sessions received by the 236 intervention patients was 3 (interquartile range 1-5), of which 25% (58/236) did not receive any coaching sessions. At 18 months’ follow-up the effect on glycaemic control did not differ significantly (mean difference 0.02, 95% confidence interval −0.20 to 0.24, P=0.84) between the intervention and control groups, adjusted for HbA_1c measured at baseline and the clustering. Other biochemical and clinical outcomes were similar in both groups. Conclusions A practice nurse led telephone coaching intervention implemented in the real world primary care setting produced comparable outcomes to usual primary care in Australia. The addition of a goal focused coaching role onto the ongoing generalist role of a practice nurse without prescribing rights was found to be ineffective. Trial registration Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN50662837.

Background. There is currently no standard approach to falls risk assessment and management for older fallers presenting to the emergency department (ED) who are discharged directly home. Hence, this study was conducted to describe the prevalence of falls risk factors associated with older fallers presenting to the ED and to identify the factors associated with postdischarge decline in function in this group. Methods. This cross-sectional study was performed with 300 community-dwelling individuals, aged 60 years or older, admitted to the ED following a fall, and discharged directly home. A home-based assessment after ED discharge was performed, which included the prevalence of falls risk factors, identification of functional decline, and objective measurements of balance, gait, depression, and falls efficacy. Results. Fall-related injuries were sustained by 91% (95% confidence interval [CI], 87.2%–94.0%) of participants presenting to the ED. The most common falls risk factors identified in the home assessment were polypharmacy (79.0%, 95% CI, 73.9%–83.5%), home hazards (76.0%, 95% CI, 70.8%–80.7%), decreased balance (61.3%, 95% CI, 55.6%–66.9%), and arthritis (61.3%, 95% CI, 55.6%–66.9%). A decline in function was reported by 35% of participants (95% CI, 29.6%–40.7%). Sustaining a fracture, functional independence before the fall, being female, depression, and slower Timed Up and Go (TUG) scores were associated with a decline in function (p <.05). Conclusion. Older fallers discharged directly from the ED have a high prevalence of falls risk factors and are at risk of functional decline.

An ageing population, disproportionally affecting developing countries, increases demand on healthcare systems. Digital health offers access to healthcare for older people, particularly those residing in rural areas, as is the case for 71% of older adults in India. This research examined technology uptake and digital and health literacy (eHEALS) among a sample of 150 older adults in rural Mysore and Suttur, India. The study utilised mixed-method, with descriptive analysis of quantitative data and thematic analysis of qualitative data. Low rates of digital (11%) and health literacy (3–27% across domains) were identified. Mobile phone ownership was 50%, but very few owned or used a smartphone and less than 10% used the Internet to contact health professionals. Qualitative analysis found low technology usage, driven by limited exposure and confidence in using digital devices. Barriers to usage included poor traditional literacy and physical aspects of ageing like poor vision. Social support from neighbours, family and local primary healthcare staff may enable adoption of digital health. Access to healthcare through digital means among Indian rural older adults needs to consider low rates of both digital and health literacy and leverage the value of support from family and primary healthcare providers.