Preventing Falls in the Community: The Role of Medication Management and Assistive Technology
Falls continue to be the leading cause of injury and hospitalisation among older adults across New Zealand and Australia, often resulting in significant physical, psychological, and economic consequences. Yet some of these falls and the ongoing impacts they create, are preventable through better systems, safer medication practices, and timely intervention.
We’ve looked at the latest research and national data from across Australia and New Zealand to explore how medication safety and assistive technologies can play a vital role in preventing falls in the community.
A Growing Problem: The Impact of Falls
As people age, the risk of serious injury from a fall increases and so does the impact on the health system. Across Australia and New Zealand, the statistics are staggering.
Last year, there were over 240,000 fall-related hospitalisations in Australia, with 62% of these being aged over 65. Falls account for nearly 40% of all injury hospitalisations across the entire country.
Adding to this, the average hospital stay in Australia for a fall injury was 4.8 days, significantly longer than for transport-related injuries at 3.4 days.
In New Zealand, the Quality and Safety Commission say falls account for 74% of all trauma admissions in older people and of these, 4% of the admissions result in the person dying.
The cost of falls to the health system is significant. The most recent data available from 2022, the cost of fall-related hospitalisations is estimated to be $4.7 billion in Australia, and $1.8 billion in New Zealand.
The data is clear, investing in proactive, community-based solutions isn’t just important, it’s essential for reducing health system costs, preventing falls and promoting healthier, more independent ageing.
Why Do Falls Happen?
There’s usually no single reason why someone falls, it’s often a mix of factors working together. Some of the most common include:
- Physical: Things like muscle weakness, poor balance, sore feet, or vision problems.
- Medical: Conditions such as low blood pressure, dehydration, or memory issues.
- Medication-related: Sedatives, blood pressure medications, and taking multiple medications at once (polypharmacy) can all increase risk.
- Environmental: Cluttered floors, dim lighting, or wearing the wrong kind of shoes.
- Behavioural: Fear of falling, staying inactive, or not drinking or eating enough.
One key area we can actually do something about is medication. The way medicines are used, and sometimes misused, plays a big role in fall risk, especially for older adults.
Medication Management and Falls
Effective medication management is crucial. Even small dosing errors can have serious consequences for older adults, especially those living with chronic conditions or cognitive impairment. Polypharmacy and medication errors can lead to symptoms such as light-headedness, confusion, drowsiness, impaired coordination, and low blood pressure, all of which significantly increase the risk of falls.
The Guiding Principles for Medication Management in the Community 2022 highlight that more than 250,000 hospital admissions each year are due to harm from medicines and half of them could be prevented with better medication management. They say “people taking five or more medicines are at higher risk of delirium and falls, independent of the medicines’ indications.”
To help reduce falls, the guidelines recommend, among other strategies, using aids and systems that support correct medication administration.
Automated medication dispensers are one effective solution, offering:
- Time-locked dose access to prevent double dosing
- Visual and auditory reminders
- Physical separation of doses to simplify complex regimens
- Support for self-administration while maintaining safety
Chiptech’s Adi Pill Dispenser is a proven tool available through our Packages of Care. It releases medication only at scheduled times, helping reduce confusion and the risk of accidental repeat dosing. This is particularly beneficial for individuals with early cognitive decline or those transitioning back to independent living after a hospital stay.
By reducing the risks of polypharmacy, it offers powerful fall prevention plus peace of mind for families, knowing their loved one is safer and supported.
Timely Response When Falls Do Occur
Despite best efforts, not all falls can be avoided but when they do happen delayed assistance can be a major driver of worse outcomes. The Falls Guidelines for Community Care emphasise the importance of:
- Fast identification when someone has fallen
- Rapid access to help, particularly for people living alone
- Minimising time spent on the floor, which increases risk of complications
Assistive technologies such as personal help buttons, wearable fall detectors, and 24/7 monitored alert systems can play a crucial role in enabling this response.
These devices help ensure that even if a fall occurs, the person isn’t left alone for long. This then reduces the chance of long lies, pressure injuries, or secondary hospital admissions.
A Multidisciplinary, Person-Centred Approach
Falls prevention is not a single intervention, but a coordinated set of supports tailored to the individual. Best-practice care includes:
- Medication safety planning
- Environmental modifications
- Strength and balance training
- Regular falls risk assessment
- Assistive technology matched to individual needs
These approaches are most effective when services are delivered in partnership, between health professionals, carers, technology providers, and older people themselves.
Conclusion
The high rate of fall-related hospitalisations across Australia and New Zealand, and the known contribution of medication risks, highlight the need for comprehensive falls prevention strategies in the community. With the right combination of support, safer medication routines, digital aids, and responsive care, many falls can be avoided, and older people can live with greater safety and independence.
For more information about tailored support packages for fall prevention and medication safety, view our Chiptech Packages of Care.
You may also like
Summer Safety for Seniors: How to Protect Loved Ones from Heat Risks
Summer Safety for Seniors: How to Protect Loved Ones from Heat Risks Summer across Australia and New Zealand is a season we all look forward
Aged Care Reform: Why Technology Must Be at the Heart of Change
Aged care at a turning point: why technology-enabled care must sit at the heart of New Zealand’s reform by: Abby Moore, CEO, Chiptech Coming out
#ChipFest25
#ChipFest25 We had the privilege of hosting some of our key Australian and New Zealand customers at our very first #ChipFest event in October. It
