Adherence to a Fall Prevention Program Among Community Dwelling Older Adults

Abstract

The purposes were to determine if older adults participating in a fall prevention program make recommended environmental and personal changes to reduce falls, and to identify factors affecting adherence to the program. Thirty of 84 community dwelling older adults completed the program. Session 1 included administration of the Health Habits Survey (HHS) and a fall-risk talk. Session 2 consisted of fall risk and balance screening and a talk on personal and home safety. The HHS was administered during Session 3. Pre-survey results indicated the majority of participants were in the maintenance stage of change (Transtheoretical Model). Post-program survey results indicated change from pre-contemplative and action stages to the maintenance stage. Knowing participants' stage of change can guide selection of more effective fall prevention programs. Recommendations to design community-based fall prevention program are presented.