Distorted; Balance, Lower Extremity Weakness Distal
Conditions
Keywords
Falls, exercise, safety, injury, Older adults
Brief summary
Older adults at high risk of falls will complete the PA Healthy Steps program. This program will be implemented by research staff who will follow the training manual and implement the program as it was designed to assess the effectiveness of the program. Participants will then be randomly assigned to three arms: (i) Follow-up only; (ii) Falls case management, in which adherence to physician and home safety assessments will be facilitated; and (iii) Healthy Steps in Motion, a 4-week group exercise program designed to complement Healthy Steps. All participants will be followed monthly for 6 months through personal and automated telephone interview protocols to ascertain falls and injuries.
Detailed description
This falls prevention program is offered in 11 senior housing sites. Trained instructors from the research team provide the Healthy Steps in Motion exercise classes. Participants provide a signed form indicating physician clearance for participation. Falls case management involves monthly calls to speak with participants about home safety checks, perceived risk for falls, and physician contact or other visits to health care professionals to reduce falls risk. This study is a pilot. The research team is interested in participation and adherence, as well as the primary outcome of falls incidence.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALAssessment and education
PA Healthy Steps program
BEHAVIORALHealthy Steps with Falls Case Management
Counseling to ensure that participants receive a physician assessment and home safety check
BEHAVIORALHealthy Steps in Motion
Group exercise program
Sponsors
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
University of Pittsburgh
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
50 Years to 100 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
1. Able to provide informed consent 2. Willing to be randomized 3. Scoring in the lowest tertile on at least one test in the Healthy Steps lower extremity performance battery 4. Age 50+
Exclusion criteria
1. Hospice enrollee or life-threatening illness 2. Active cancer treatment 3. Neurologic disease linked to falls risk, such as Parkinson's 4. Unable to ambulate indoors 5. High likelihood of moving in next 6 months
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Falls | 6 months | Falls ascertained in automated monthly telephone contact |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Fall-related injuries requiring hospitalization/emergency department care | 6 months | Events ascertained in a monthly automated telephone interview |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed