Grant: Knowledge Synthesis Grant

When elderly people fall, it is a major burden to society. Falling can result in anxiety, depression, social isoloation, broken bones, and even death. Despite numerous studies on preventing seniors from falling, the best approach for a falls prevention program is unclear. This is because many of the studies do not report all of the details on the prevention strategies that they used and some of the studies have conflicting results (i.e., one study says that vitamin D supplementation is beneficial while another study does not find vitamin D supplementation to be beneficial). In order to examine this further, we have brought together key stakeholders who will directly use the results of our review to develop falls prevention programs. These include geriatricians, nurses, and policy-makers. The results will be used to improve the health and well-being of seniors in Canada and can be applied internationally.