None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
The aim of this project was to reduce falls risk in people 65 years and older living in the community in retirement villages, independent living units and hostels or in their own homes and attending a respite centre, day therapy or other supported program for older people, eg. Senior Citizens’ Centres. The geographical area involved was the Brisbane metropolitan region including bayside. The process involved implementation and evaluation of a sustainable model of service delivery based on best practice falls prevention interventions, including individualized risk assessment and a specific targeted intervention. The objectives of the Project were to: encourage best practice falls prevention interventions in the community; increase access to falls prevention information, strategies, and activities for community dwelling older persons and the multidisciplinary team including the GP; build partnerships to reduce falls in older people within selected facilities and for the target population in metropolitan Brisbane and environs; and recommend a sustainable model of service delivery taking into consideration the emerging workforce issues in the future. The strategies employed to deliver the objectives were to increase participation in the target population by offering group exercise programs to 500 participants in the Brisbane metropolitan (including bayside) area;ensure the program is targeted to the risk factors of the individual participants by a screening process followed by referral for appropriate assessment and management; measure the impact of the risk reduction interventions; ensure a coordinated approach by all involved in the project; build capacity in community service providers to consistently assess and manage people at risk of falling; and develop and describe a sustainable model of activity promotion, implementation and evaluation for this target population. The outcomes from this intervention study may provide information to address the development of future programs to reduce the risk of falls in people over 65 years of age. The project will identify and describe the nature and level of risk factors of falls in the target population and will assist program planners to determine the appropriate workforce combination required for the program to continue.
Interventions
Specific Balance Strategy Exercise Program. Subjects in the intervention group will attend a one hour twice-weekly specific balance-strategy training program for 12 weeks. The program will be delivered using work-stations that target the multiple elements of balance that are integral to efficient balance and mobility. Content of this program will include functional strength training and flexibility exercises that load trunk and lower limb muscles in all planes of movement, exercises for postural
Specific Balance Strategy Exercise Program. Subjects in the intervention group will attend a one hour twice-weekly specific balance-strategy training program for 12 weeks. The program will be delivered using work-stations that target the multiple elements of balance that are integral to efficient balance and mobility. Content of this program will include functional strength training and flexibility exercises that load trunk and lower limb muscles in all planes of movement, exercises for postural control and tasks that challenge medio-lateral stability and work participants at the limits of their stability; tasks that foster the use of ankle, hip, stepping and suspension strategies along with speed and efficient reaction times will be used. The program and tasks will be progressed by adding surface and visual challenges and by adding dual / multiple tasks
Sponsors
‘Falls and injury prevention community grants programs’, Department of Health and Ageing, Commonwealth Government of Australia
Study design
Allocation
Non-randomised trial
Intervention model
Single group
Primary purpose
Prevention
Masking
Blinded (masking used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
65 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
living in a retirement village, independent living unit or hostel, or in their own home and attending a senior citizens centre, respite centre, day therapy or other supported programs for the older person capable of participating safely in a group exercise program
Exclusion criteria
where medical assessment precludes safe participation in the activity program. This will be identified through the Falls Referral checklist administered as part of the initial physiotherapy assessment.
Outcome results
None listed