Injury Matters

$15 THU June 2 @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm A Lens on Falls: Vision and falls prevention among older adults As people age, it is common for their visual function to decrease, which is associated with an increased risk of falling. Older adults with vision loss are twice as likely to fall than older adults without vision loss. Vision plays a key role in the balance and control required to carry out daily activities with older adults relying more heavily on visual information to maintain their balance. Good vision also allows older adults to identify hazards or obstacles in...

FREE WED June 15 @ 10:00 am - 12:00 pm   Dive into the data: Injury Epidemiology Online Workshop The role of epidemiology in public health has come to light recently due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, epidemiological information has always been a core construct of injury prevention due to its ability to characterise the occurrence of injury, identify at-risk population groups and assist in evaluating injury prevention strategies. How do we access and interpret epidemiological data? WA injury prevention practitioners are fortunate to have access to multiple sources of epidemiological data to assist in quantifying the impact of injury...

Falls are a major public health concern – they are common in people aged 65 and older, and are the leading cause of injury in this age group. Around one-third of generally healthy people aged 65 and older will have at least one fall each year. It is important that health professionals working with older adults implement and promote evidence-based exercises that can decrease the incidence of fall related injury. Exercises to prevent falls can increase muscle strength, flexibility, balance, and reaction time as these risk factors for falls are considered the most readily modified. Ahead of Stay On Your...

COVID-19 has had an impact on the mental health and well-being of older adults in Western Australia. Social isolation is a continuing problem for older adults and may lead to loneliness. Social isolation is the absence of relationships with family and friends on an individual level and with society on a broader level. Good mental health contributes greatly to an overall feeling of well-being. Untreated mental health disorders in older adults can lead to diminished functioning, substance abuse, poor quality of life, and increased mortality. Join Injury Matters with guest speaker Deb Reveley from Brain Ambulance as we chat through...

Incontinence in older adults can be a significant risk factor to falls, as problems with bowel and bladder control can impact on an older person’s ability to stay active, healthy, and independent. Incontinence, urinary frequency, and assisted toileting have been identified as falls risk factors for residents in residential aged care facilities. Injury Matters are holding an educational webinar for health professionals as part of their Stay On Your Feet® program to explore the link between incontinence and falls with guest presenter Laura Snowball from Silverchain, looking at management strategies and screening tools for health professionals to use when working with...

When: 10:00 am - 11:00 am, 23 June 2023 Where: Online via Teams OR in person at 36 Dodd Street, Wembley WA   Unintentional poisoning is one of the leading causes of injuries in WA, accounting for 179 deaths in 2021. Injury Matters is hosting this hybrid seminar where we will hear from Louise Edwards from the Poisons Information Centre to learn more about poisoning prevention strategies to enable health professionals to promote and support effective health education. The seminar will also: Describe the mechanism of poisoning that is included in data collection. Describe the types of substances that commonly...

Injury Matters is hosting a webinar aiming to explore the importance of yarning in a clinical setting for health professionals in the injury prevention sector. Dr Ivan Lin and Trevor Pickett from WA Centre for Rural Health will explore the concept of clinical yarning, how it can be implemented, and the benefits to Aboriginal communities in WA. FREE

The Injury Prevention Summit is a one-day event held biennially by Injury Matters, via the Know Injury program, with funding from the Western Australian Department of Health. The Injury Prevention Summit will connect injury prevention and safety promotion practitioners, policymakers, and representatives from Local Governments across WA to facilitate collaboration and exchange injury prevention knowledge, ideas, and information. For more information and registration click here.

Join Injury Matters on 18 June 2025 from 10:00am-11:00am (AWST), with guest speaker Henrietta Podgorska from Umbrella Multicultural Community Care Services, for the “Building Trust and Engaging Multicultural Communities in Injury Prevention Programs and Services” webinar. Western Australia (WA) has a rapidly increasing multicultural population, made up of a variety of different communities, each with their own unique identity and experiences. WA has the largest proportion of residents born outside of Australia, where 38% of Western Australians were born overseas. Cultural, social and psychological impacts on health may increase the prevalence of injury among multicultural communities. That is why effective...

Local governments play a significant role in developing, coordinating and delivering injury prevention, safety policies and programs in their local area. Local governments’ responsibility for health can include encouraging: health promotion behaviours, opportunities for social connection and recreational participation to increase and maintain physical and mental wellbeing. Falls are a significant public health issue in Western Australia. 1 in 3 people over the age of 65 fall each year. Falls can have a real impact on an individual’s life that can lead to a loss of independence and confidence, increased concerns of falling and difficulty doing daily tasks. Falls are...