National Fall Prevention Workshop: stepping up pan-Canadian coordination.

About one in three Canadian seniors will experience a fall at least once each year. Such falls are the leading cause of injury-related hospitalizations among older people. Apart from causing injury, falls can result in chronic pain, reduced quality of life and, in severe cases, death. Psychological effects of a fall may cause a post-fall syndrome that includes dependence on others for daily activities, loss of autonomy, confusion, immobilization and depression. Falls and the resulting injuries often occur due to a combination of factors, including health conditions associated with aging such as vision problems, osteoporosis, dementia and symptoms of a chronic disease. They can be due to the side effects of medications, environmental hazards and risk-taking behaviours. Fall prevention initiatives and strategies are taking place in all provinces and territories and at the national level. To enhance the collaborative understanding of these initiatives, a National Fall Prevention Workshop was held at the Canadian Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion Conference in Vancouver, British Columbia, on 17 November 2011. The Workshop was co-hosted by the British Columbia Injury Research and Prevention Unit (BCIRPU) and the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC). Fall prevention leads from each province and territory were invited to present their most recent activities and their plans.