Falls and fall risk factors in the elderly following a community exercise program

Falls are a leading cause of non-fatal injuries and hospital admissions for trauma in the elderly. Fall prevention programs for community-dwelling older adults may prevent falls. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a community-based fall prevention program that includes exercise, education and individual risk assessment strategies for older adults. This is a replication of Shumway-Cook, Silver, LeMier and York’s (2007) study. The framework is the Guidelines for the Prevention of Falls in Older Persons (AGS, BGS, AAOP, 2001). The sample will be 400 adults over 65 from senior community groups throughout Howard County, Indiana. The instruments include the Timed Up and Go Test, the Pfeiffer Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire, the Health History Questionnaire, the Leg Strength Balance Berg Test, and fall frequency tabulation, all completed before and after the year-long program on exercise training. The findings will provide information about the effectiveness of a community-based multi-factorial intervention program in the elderly population in Howard County.