Falls in residential aged care have not declined in the two years that Quality Indicator data has been collected, according to the most recent figures, while the Sector Performance Report Q4 2023-24 showed complaints about falls increased significantly.
Falls rose to 32.6% of care recipients in Q4 2023-24, up from 31.3% in Q3 and 31.9% when data collection began in Q1 2021-22.
Falls are one of the most serious risks in residential aged care and can result in serious harm, even death, for older people. Falls, through the Aged Care Quality Indicators, are measured and tracked by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (ACQSC) as part of their surveillance of aged care quality and safety.
The QI report notes the increase is not statistically significant - "over time there has been no statistically significant change in the proportion of residents experiencing falls" - however the trend for one of the most recognised problems in aged care is not moving in the right direction."
Falls resulting in serious injury held steady with the previous quarter at 1.8% of residents and is down from 2.1% when data collection commenced.
Complaints about falls "increased significantly"
The Sector Performance Report for Q4 2023-24 showed a 26% increase in complaints about falls over the quarter to 153 complaints.
Falls were the third most complained about issue, behind medication management and administration (199 complaints), which regularly appears at the top of the list, and personal and oral hygiene (159 complaints).
Aged Care Quality and Safety Commissioner Janet Anderson told The SOURCE, "We are currently monitoring the pattern and trend of complaints and incidents involving falls and falls prevention to determine whether we will prioritise this for a targeted campaign."
