DENTAL CLINICS: PORTALS FOR CONNECTING VULNERABLE COMMUNITY-DWELLING ELDERLY TO FALL PREVENTION PROGRAMS

Objective. To investigate motivational factors and barriers to participating in fall risk assessment and management programs among diverse, low-income, community-dwelling older adults who had experienced a fall.Methods. Face-to-face interviews with 20 elderly who had accepted and 19 who had not accepted an invitation to an assessment by one of two fall prevention programs. Interviews covered healthy aging, core values, attributions/consequences of the fall, and barriers/benefits of fall prevention strategies and programs.Results. Joiners and nonjoiners of fall prevention programs were similar in their experience of loss associated with aging, core values they expressed, and emotional response to falling. One difference was that those who participated endorsed that they “needed” the program, while those who did not participate expressed a lack of need.Conclusions. Interventions targeted at a high-risk group need to address individual beliefs as well as structural and social factors (transportation issues, social networks) to enhance participation.

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Improving Local Service Delivery to Prevent Falls in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: Translating Research to Practice

The Gerontologist ◽

10.1093/geront/gnaa121 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Travis M Gagen ◽

Maria T Bulzacchelli

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Health Care ◽

Fall Prevention ◽

Health Care Professionals ◽

Prevention Programs ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Local Health ◽

Prevention Interventions ◽

Unintentional Falls ◽

Community Dwelling Older Adults

Abstract Unintentional falls are the leading cause of both fatal and nonfatal injuries among Americans 65 years of age and older and place an enormous burden on the health care system. As the population continues to age, preventing falls will be increasingly important for reducing morbidity, mortality, and medical costs. Evidence-based fall prevention interventions for older adults exist, but widespread adoption of these interventions is needed. Local health departments, Area Agencies on Aging, first responders, and health care professionals can all play important roles in implementing fall prevention programs. This article presents a conceptual model for local delivery of fall prevention programs for community-dwelling older adults. This model can serve as a guide for translating existing fall prevention research into practice.

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Systematic Review of the Effect of Home Modification and Fall Prevention Programs on Falls and the Performance of Community-Dwelling Older Adults

American Journal of Occupational Therapy ◽

10.5014/ajot.2012.005017 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 66 (3) ◽

pp. 284-291 ◽

Cited By ~ 97

Author(s):

C. A. Chase ◽

K. Mann ◽

S. Wasek ◽

M. Arbesman

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Older Adults ◽

Fall Prevention ◽

Prevention Programs ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Home Modification ◽

Community Dwelling Older Adults

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24-Months Cluster-Randomized Intervention Trial of a Targeted Fall Prevention Program in a Primary Care Setting

Journal of General Internal Medicine ◽

10.1007/s11606-021-06944-w ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Christian Hentschke ◽

Martin Halle ◽

Barbara Geilhof ◽

Peter Landendoerfer ◽

Wolfgang Blank ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Primary Care ◽

High Risk ◽

Fall Prevention ◽

Care Setting ◽

Primary Care Setting ◽

Fear Of Falling ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Risk Of Falling ◽

Injurious Falls ◽

Cluster Randomized

Abstract Background Falls and fall-related injuries are common in community-dwelling older persons. Longitudinal data on effective fall prevention programs are rare. Objective Therefore, we evaluated a 4-months multi-component exercise fall prevention program in a primary care setting on long-term effects over 24 months on falls and concomitant injuries in older community-dwelling persons with high risk of falling. Design and Setting In the Prevention of Falls (PreFalls) study, forty general practitioners in Germany were cluster-randomized (1:1) into an intervention group (IG) or control group (CG). Three hundred seventy-eight independently living people with high risk of falling (78.1 ± 5.9 years, 75% women) were assigned to IG (n = 222) or CG (n = 156). Intervention and Measurements Patients in IG took part in a 4-months multi-component exercise program comprising strength and balance exercises (28 sessions); patients in CG received no intervention. Primary outcome measure was number of falls over 24 months, analyzed by a patient-level, linear mixed Poisson model. Secondary endpoints were number of fall-related injuries, changes in physical function, fear of falling, and mortality. Results After 24 months, the IG demonstrated significantly fewer falls (IRR = 0.63, p = 0.021), injurious falls (IRR = 0.69, p = 0.034), and less fear of falling (p = 0.005). The mortality rate was 5.0% in IG and 10.3% in CG (HR = 0.51, 95% CI: 0.24 to 1.12; p = 0.094). Conclusions In older community-dwelling persons with high risk of falling, a short-term multi-component exercise intervention reduced falls and injurious falls, as well as fear of falling over 24 months.

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A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Fall Prevention Programs for Pediatric Inpatients

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18115853 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (11) ◽

pp. 5853

Author(s):

Eun-Joo Kim ◽

Geun-Myun Kim ◽

Ji-Young Lim

Keyword(s):

High Risk ◽

Fall Prevention ◽

Prevention Program ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Prevention Programs ◽

Fall Prevention Program ◽

Medium Risk ◽

Randomized Control ◽

Reduction Effect ◽

Future Randomized Control Trial

Falls account for a high proportion of the safety accidents experienced by hospitalized children. This study aims to analyze the contents and effects of fall prevention programs for pediatric inpatients to develop more adaptable fall prevention programs. A literature search was performed using PubMed (including Medline), Science Direct, CINAHL, Embase, and Cochrane. We included articles published from the inception of each of the databases up to 31 March 2019. A total of 1725 results were reviewed according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and nine studies were selected. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis program. Four of the nine studies divided their participants into a high-risk fall group and a low-or medium-risk fall group, and all studies used a high-risk sign/sticker as a common protocol guideline for its high-risk fall group. The odds ratio of 0.95 (95% Cl 0.550–1.640) for the fall prevention program in seven studies was not statistically significant. To develop a standardized fall prevention program in the future, randomized control trial studies that can objectively measure the fall rate reduction effect of the integrated fall prevention program need to be expanded.

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Effect of a Fall Prevention Program on Balance Maintenance Using a Quasi-experimental Design in Real-World Settings

Journal of Aging and Health ◽

10.1177/0898264312436713 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 24 (5) ◽

pp. 827-845 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Yvonne Robitaille ◽

Michel Fournier ◽

Sophie Laforest ◽

Lise Gauvin ◽

Johanne Filiatrault ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Real World ◽

Fall Prevention ◽

Prevention Program ◽

Negative Binomial ◽

Negative Binomial Regression ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Balance Performance ◽

Community Based ◽

Fall Prevention Program ◽

Quasi Experimental

Objectives: To examine the effect of a fall prevention program offered under real-world conditions on balance maintenance several months after the program. To explore the program’s impact on falls. Method: A quasi-experimental study was conducted among community-dwelling seniors, with pre- and postintervention measures of balance performance and self-reported falls. Ten community-based organizations offered the intervention (98 participants) and 7 recruited participants to the study’s control arm (102 participants). An earlier study examined balance immediately after the 12-week program. The present study focuses on the 12-month effect. Linear regression (balance) and negative binomial regression (falls) procedures were performed.falls. Results: During the 12-month study period, experimental participants improved and maintained their balance as reflected by their scores on three performance tests. There was no evidence of an effect on falls.falls. Discussion: Structured group exercise programs offered in community-based settings can maintain selected components of balance for several months after the program’s end.

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