The effect on fall rate of blood glucose testing at the time of falls in elderly diabetics

OBJECTIVE To determine the pattern of blood sugar and HbA1c testing among supportive living residents with diabetes and whether, in those with diabetes, blood glucose measurement was done at the time of a fall. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS The management of diabetes in relation to falls in the supportive living sector is unknown. A cross-sectional questionnaire study in Edmonton Alberta, Canada of Designated Supportive Living (DSL) homes have places funded by Alberta Health Services and other homes (SL) that have no funded places. A questionnaire was distributed to Directors of Care/managers of supportive living homes, with telephone interview follow-up if required. RESULTS Sixty responses from 61 of the 71 homes (86%) provided information. 21 were DSL and 39 were SL homes. DSL homes were significantly more likely than SL ones to report that residents with diabetes had blood glucose measurements as part of regular care, to be aware that glycosylated haemoglobin was measured, and to say that blood glucose was measured at the time of a fall. Regression analysis identified that facilities with a policy to measure blood glucose at the time of a fall had a lower rate of falls in residents with diabetes than facilities without such a policy (p < 0.05). No effect of this policy was seen in residents without diabetes. CONCLUSION Residents with diabetes were less likely to fall in homes that indicated that they had a policy to measure blood glucose at the time of a fall.