For older adults with fall risk or a history of falling, would novel fall prevention education reduce the fear of falling and enhance confidence in self to improve engagement in desired occupations? This capstone project was centered around answering that question. The setting this took place in is an inpatient rehabilitation hospital with the older adult patient population. Specifically, this includes stroke, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, cardiac, orthopedic, and generally deconditioned patients. The proposed focus area being program development.
A focus on program development was demonstrated through assessing a patient’s fear of falling (FOF) at evaluation via the Falls Self-Efficacy Scale (FES-1). If FOF was present, patients would join a fall prevention group that delivered education in a novel format. The fall prevention group provided education focused on fall risks, fall prevention strategies, and fall recovery all while keeping the participants engaged through the novel delivery. Following completion of the fall prevention group, participants FOF was assessed once more via the FES-1 to measure change. Program development is seen through the incorporation of the fall prevention group into the therapy schedule and through presenting the findings to the interdisciplinary team with the intent that the fall prevention group continues to be implemented into the site
