National Multidisciplinary Priority-Setting Summit: Grab bar installation as a public health solution for preventing falls, reducing injury, and improving bathroom accessibility for older adults in Canada
Posted June 3, 2024
Funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and co-chaired by Parachute and Caregiver Omnimedia, the in-person Summit took place on March 19, 2024 in Barrie, Ontario and brought together 15 participants from industries (e.g. real estate, manufacturing, renovation and construction, older adult group, non-profit organization and health professional association) to connect with key stakeholders across industries, share experiences and knowledge, and help identify solutions for collective action to prevent falls.
The objectives of the Summit were to:
- Understand the key barriers and obstacles among decision-makers and stakeholders across the health, manufacturers, construction, building management, real estate and insurance sectors.
- Identify updated and new evidence-based resources, tools and knowledge products to inform action.
- Identify opportunities and priorities for action regarding the installation of grab bars in bathrooms across policy, research, public awareness, and implementation.
Attendees had the opportunity to learn about the incidence of falls in the aging population and the latest research on grab bars and their effectiveness in preventing falls.
For the full summary (English and French) including recommendations for next steps, please reach out to hgagne@parachute.ca.