Hip Fracture Prevention
Royal Freemasons was granted funding from the Victorian Community Foundation-James and Vera Lawson Trust; the William Angliss Charitable Fund; and Merck Sharp & Dohme to develop a Multidisciplinary Hip Fracture Prevention Guideline and Implementation Strategy in 2000.
This program involved targeting those of our residents who were at high risk of hip fracture for a clinical practice guideline which integrated fall prevention, the use of hip protectors, and treatment of osteoporosis. An implementation rate of between 50% and 86% was achieved for up to six individually considered recommended interventions at 6-month follow-up. The guideline was published in the Australasian Journal on Ageing in 2002.
The results of out internal project suggested that early introduction and evaluation of larger scale programs along similar lines was warranted. A Royal Freemasons -led research consortium then secured further funding through a National Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Conditions Improvement Grant for a larger study of the implementation of hip fracture prevention initiatives in twelve non-Royal Freemasons nursing homes in metropolitan Melbourne. This study entitled Promoting evidence-based best practices for hip fracture prevention in residential aged care was completed in 2004, and the results have been published in the Australasian Journal on Ageing.
Key publications related to hip fracture prevention
Scherer S, Jennings C, Smeaton M, Thompson P, Stein M. A Multidisciplinary Practice Guideline for Hip Fracture Prevention in Residential Aged Care. Australasian Journal on Ageing. 21.4. 203-209. 2002.
Scherer SC, Jennings C, Rule J, Smeaton M, Farrell MJ, Garratt SA, Flicker L, Davis I, Wark JD. Promoting evidence-based best practices for hip fracture prevention in residential aged care. Australasian Journal on Ageing. 25. 4. 185-190. 2006
