title: Development of a community-based fall prevention program: Stay In Balance.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Falls and fall-related injuries are critical issues for older adults; evidence indicates that multidimensional interventions that address modifiable risk factors can be successful in reducing falls. Few evidence-based fall prevention interventions exist due, in part, to complex issues associated with development and implementation. There is a need for a variety of such programs from which older adults may choose. We describe steps, outcomes, and issues involved in developing/implementing an evidenced-based fall prevention program in community settings.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Stay In Balance program (SIB), developed by a team of professionals, local service providers and active older adults, was carried out with total of 135 older adults in several steps: developing objectives and program content, laboratory-based randomized controlled trial (RCT), pilot program in the community, community-based RCT, and implementation at 2 community sites.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Each step in development provided useful and different insights into needed changes in program content, equipment, support materials, training, and appropriate outcome measures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Development of an evidenced-based fall prevention program requires a long term commitment on the part of all partners, University personnel, local service providers, and older adult participants; funding is also critical.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Exercise Science, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA.
authors.forename: Harriet G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Gerhild
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ullmann
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D003071:Cognition; D003153:Community Health Services; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D016730:Program Development / Q000379:methods*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012307:Risk Factors; D057170:Translational Research, Biomedical