Family and caregivers: Both informal and
formal caregivers have a critical role to
play in building awareness about the
importance of falls and falls prevention.
It is especially important to provide family
members, peer counsellors and other
informal caregivers with information and
training on how to identify risk factors for
falls and how to take action to decrease the
likelihood of falling among those at greatest
risk. It is also critical to ensure that
formal caregivers are fully familiar with the
latest evidence related to the assessment,
prevention, and treatment of falls. This will
comprise the incorporation of modules
on falls and fall prevention in professional
caregiver curricula at all levels, including
continuing education. Within the developing
world, it is important to acknowledge
the contribution of healers who are knowledgeable
about alternative and complementary
medicines. These individuals should
be encouraged to integrate their special
skills and knowledge with contemporary
evidence-based practice related to falls and
fall prevention.
Youth and young adults: Any active-ageing
strategy that strives to be effective in reducing
the prevalence of chronic diseases and
disabling conditions will need to adopt a
life course perspective. This is especially
important in the area of falls and falls
prevention because many of the individuallevel
determinants, which predispose a
person to be at risk for injurious falls,
begin to manifest themselves early in life.
Furthermore, building awareness of the
importance of falls and fall-related issues in