IMPLEMENTING FALLS PREVENTION IN MALAYSIA
Only 8% of the Malaysian population is aged over 60 years, but this will increase to 15% of by 2025. Malaysia's healthcare system is, however, heavily burdened with ongoing infectious diseases and the rising epidemic of non-communicable diseases. Emerging age-related conditions has, therefore, been given little attention. The burden of falls is already taking its toll, with overcrowded hospitals and oversubscribed care home places. The public receive falls education through one-off articles or talk shows by the media and public awareness sessions organised by non-profit agencies. Regular group exercise programmes organized by non-governmental organizations and individuals are in existence. These are occasionally supported by local government grants. New private sector initiatives are now emerging for secondary falls prevention. Our recently completed randomized-controlled trial evaluating a hospital-based multifaceted intervention programme found that compliance to strength and balance exercises was high. Multi-agency working is now urgently required to address this emerging issue.