Fall Prevention Program Feasible, Acceptable to Older Adult Participants

A 3-month intervention for older adults at risk of falling earned high marks for satisfaction among participants, according to a study published online in the Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice.

“The FallProof Balance and Mobility Program is a multifactorial fall prevention intervention that targets intrinsic risk factors such as muscle strength, balance, gait, and posture,” wrote corresponding author C. Allyson Jones PT, PhD, of the University of Alberta, and coauthors. 

Older adults with recurrent falls were enrolled in one of five 12-week FallProof Balance and Mobility Programs offered throughout the year. Of 19 enrolled participants, 16 finished the program, 12 attended 80% or more classes, and 14 had mild cognitive impairment.  

The study found large gains in participant self-management; the effect size was 0.90. Overall, participants were “very satisfied” with the fall intervention program, researchers reported. 

Semi-structured interviews revealed three themes: (1) fall-related benefits; (2) motivating instructors and variety of activities; and (3) participation deterrents.  

“The FallProof program,” researchers concluded, “was found to be feasible and acceptable in a small cohort of older adults from the community.”

—Jolynn Tumolo

Reference:

Osho OA, Harbidge C, Hogan DB, Manns PJ, Jones CA. Evaluation of a balance and mobility program for older adults at risk of falling: a mixed methods study [published online ahead of print, 2020 May 25]. J Eval Clin Pract. 2020;e13413. doi:10.1111/jep.13413