No Falls! No Fear! Falls Prevention Project

Background

Program Goals:

Queensland, Australia: A multicomponent falls prevention intervention program focusing on well, older, community dwellers – to reduce the number of falls and the resulting injuries.

Intent:

Unintentional

Risk Factors Addressed:

Decline in physical functioning; medication use; impariements to sensory nervous system; disorders of the musculo-skeletal system; specific chronic diseases; environmental hazards; social and behavioural factors; history of falling

Place of occurrence:

Home and community

Age/Age Range:

Older adults

Other Population Characteristics:

Target population: members of the National Seniors Association

Resources

Year Developed:

1996/1997

Collaborative Organization(s):

Queensland Health Promotion Council
Healthy Ageing Research Unit, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine at the University of Queensland
National Seniors Association
Department of Public Works and Housing
Department of Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy 

Funding Resource(s):

Healthy Ageing Unit received funding from the Queensland Health Promotion Council to cover the costs of the program for 2 years

Costs:

$115,841 AU – Year 1
$102,776 AU – Year 2

Implementation

Context/Setting:

Home and health care settings

Strategies Used:

Evaluation, Education

Activities Used:

Interventions included: information, exercise classes, home modifications, and medical assessments
Add-on approach was used  

Program Evaluation:

Participants were divided into four groups
Group 1 was the control group
Each group was randomly allocated to receive interventions 

Source of Best Practice:

Volpe, R., Lewko, J., & Battra, A. (2002). A Compendium of Effective, Evidence-Based Best Practices in Prevention of Neurotrauma. University of Toronto Press, Toronto.

Original Source:

Healthy Ageing Research Unit. (1998). No falls! No fear! Falls prevention project. Australia: University of Queensland

Supplementary Material:

N/A

Local Example(s):

N/A

Contact Information: 

Nancye Peel
Senior Research Officer
Healthy Ageing Unit
Department of Social and Preventative Medicine
University of Queensland
Herston, Queensland
4006 Australia
Tel:  61-7-3365-5383
Email: N. Peel@spmed.uq.edu.au  

Outcomes

Long-term outcomes/Effectiveness:

Overall high levels of satisfaction with program
Modification of behavior
Modification of intrinsic risk factors
Modification of extrinsic risk factors 

Short-term outcomes:

Results showed a significant reduction in the risk of slips and trips in groups 2, 3 and 4 compared to the control group, with evidence also for reduction in the risk of falling

Other Benefits:

Increased exercising of participants; Improved confidence, health and well-being of participants.

Other

Date of Review:

2000

Classification:

Best Practice