Living Lab Falls-MACVIA-LR: The falls prevention initiative of the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing (EIP on AHA) in Languedoc-Roussillon

Falls represent a major cause of burden and death in older adults. The MACVIA-LR (fighting chronic diseases for active and healthy ageing in Languedoc-Roussillon) falls initiative is a cross-cutting Living Lab based on the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing (EIP on AMA) at the regional level. It covers all action plans (A1, A2, A3, B3, C2 and D4) of the EIP on AHA. The Living Lab will: (i) raise awareness, (ii) drive attitude change with respect to falls and falls prevention and (iii) improve access to information on falls prevention. It aims to reduce fall-related hospitalisations by 30% in 2020 in the region Languedoc-Roussillon (LR). It includes: (i) a falls prevention clinic for the assessment of subjects (with a falls risk) in the two teaching hospitals of Montpellier and Mimes, (ii) the Regional Ageing Institute (CARSAT-LR), (iii) the Low Vision Institute of Nimes, (iv) the Lattes Social Welfare Centre, (v) the home automation Institut mediterraneen des metiers de longevite, (vi) teaching, training and coaching as well as (vii) industrial partnership. Two care pathways have been developed (stroke and falls) and are being applied to remote rural areas of the region. The MACVIA-falls prevention initiative is an output of the EIP on AHA. (C) 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS and European Union Geriatric Medicine Society. All rights reserved.