A multidisciplinary fall prevention program for elderly persons: a feasibility study.
Falling is a common problem among elderly people and has many negative consequences. In the Netherlands, there is a need for effective fall prevention interventions aimed at elderly persons with an increased risk of falling. For this reason, we adapted a successful British fall prevention program comprising a medical occupational therapy assessment to the Dutch health care setting. This article describes the adaptation of this program and a pilot study to assess its feasibility in Dutch health care according to the implementers of the intervention as well as the participants (n = 21). This study showed that the Dutch intervention protocol is feasible in Dutch health care for both participants and implementers of the program. However, minor refinement of the intervention is warranted to improve its feasibility. The structured approach to adapt and pretest an intervention protocol appeared to be essential when aiming to implement a complex intervention program in a different health care setting.
Department of Social Medicine, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht Unirversity, The Netherlands.
Marike R C
MR
Hendriks
Michel H C
MH
Bleijlevens
Jolanda C M
JC
van Haastregt
Fleur H
FH
de Bruijn
Joseph P M
JP
Diederiks
Wubbo J
WJ
Mulder
Joop M
JM
Ruijgrok
Paul A
PA
Stalenhoef
Harry F J M
HF
Crebolder
Jacques Th M
JT
van Eijk
D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D005194:Family Practice / Q000458:organization & administration; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D005851:Geriatric Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006287:Health Planning Guidelines; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009426:Netherlands; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D009788:Occupational Therapy / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D018570:Risk Assessment