Falls prevention research in residential aged care is itself tripped up by medical clearance issues

Australia’s residential aged care (RAC) population is projected to more than treble by 2050 [1]. This increase will have significant implications for health-care expenditure [2]. Falls in older adults are common, and are a major cause of morbidity and mortality, in RAC, 60% of residents will fall each year, many will fall more than once [3]. There is compelling evidence that exercise, and specifically resistance and weightbearing exercise programs can prevent falls in older adults [4–7]. While most trials have considered communitydwelling older people, research for exercise intervention in RAC has returned inconsistent data [5,8]. Current clinical practice guidelines suggest that there is insufficient evidence to recommend for or against the use of exercise programs in RAC and further research is recommended [6,8].