Improving Local Service Delivery to Prevent Falls in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: Translating Research to Practice.

Unintentional falls are the leading cause of both fatal and nonfatal injuries among Americans 65 years of age and over, and place an enormous burden on the healthcare system. As the population continues to age, preventing falls will be increasingly important for reducing morbidity, mortality, and medical costs. Evidence-based fall prevention interventions for older adults exist, but widespread adoption of these interventions is needed. Local health departments, Area Agencies on Aging, first responders, and healthcare professionals can all play important roles in implementing fall prevention programs. This paper presents a conceptual model for local delivery of fall prevention programs for community-dwelling older adults. This model can serve as a guide for translating existing fall prevention research into practice.