Moving forward in fall prevention: an intervention to improve balance among older adults in real-world settings.
OBJECTIVE
We investigated the effectiveness of a group-based exercise intervention to improve balancing ability among older adults delivered in natural settings by staff in local community organizations.


METHODS
The main component of the intervention consisted of biweekly group-based exercise sessions conducted over 12 weeks by a professional, coupled with home-based exercises. In a quasiexperimental design, 10 community organizations working with older adults offered the intervention to groups of 5 to 15 persons concerned about falls, while 7 organizations recruited similar groups to participate in the control arm of the study. Participants (98 experimental and 102 control) underwent balance assessments by a physiotherapist at registration and 3 months later.


RESULTS
Eighty-nine percent of participants attended the 3-month measurement session (n=177). A linear regression analysis showed that after adjusting for baseline levels of balance and demographic and health characteristics, the intervention significantly improved static balance and mobility.


CONCLUSIONS
Structured, group-based exercise programs offered by community organizations in natural settings can successfully increase balancing ability among community-dwelling older adults concerned about falls.
Robitaille
Yvonne
Y
Institut national de santé publique du Québec and the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McGill University, Montreal, Canada. yvonne.robitaille@inspq.qc.ca
Laforest
Sophie
S
Fournier
Michel
M
Gauvin
Lise
L
Parisien
Manon
M
Corriveau
Hélène
H
Trickey
Francine
F
Damestoy
Nicole
N
D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D004856:Postural Balance; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors