Occupational Therapists play an important role in supporting people living with dementia. This Dementia Action Week 2025, OTA want to shine a spotlight on the link between dementia and falls.

Many know that falls are the leading cause of injury-related hospitalisations and deaths in Australia but did you know that for people living with dementia, the risk is even more pronounced.

Those living with dementia are at least twice as likely to fall as those without dementia and 2–3 times more likely to experience adverse events such as further falls and delirium during hospitalisation. Following a first hospitalised fall, about 2 in 5 people living with dementia in the community enter residential aged care. Once in residential aged care, 9 in 10 people living with dementia who fall will be hospitalised with an injury [1].

This why early management of dementia and falls risk is essential. Evidence has shown that for older adults at a higher risk of having a fall, such as having had a fall in the past year and recently hospitalised or needing support with daily activities, home hazard reduction strategies like those provided by an occupational therapist can reduce the number of falls by 38% [2].

This Dementia Action Week, do your bit to help raise the profile of occupational therapists in dementia care using these resources:

Occupational Therapy and Dementia Australia Joint Position Statement

OTA Occupational Therapy and Dementia

OTA Occupational Therapy and Behaviour Support Plans

Capability framework for occupational therapists working with older people (aged care)

[1] Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2024). First hospitalised falls among people living with dementia: risk factors and outcomes. Retrieved from https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/dementia/first-hospitalised-falls-among-people-living-with

[2] Clemson L, Stark S, Pighills AC, Fairhall NJ, Lamb SE, Ali J, Sherrington C. Environmental interventions for preventing falls in older people living in the community. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2023, Issue 3. Art. No.: CD013258. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD013258.pub2.