Abstract:

The occurrence of falls affects approximately one third to one half of seniors over the age of sixty-five and accounts for substantial morbidity, mortality, and disability. Falls that do not result in serious injury, hospitalization or death have the potential to affect seniors' socially and psychologically (e.g., loss of confidence, restriction of mobility, fear of falling) (Kane et al., 1989; Tideiksaar, 1989). Further, despite the low percentage of falls resulting in fractures, the absolute number of seniors that endure fractures taxes the health care system considerably (see, for example, Kellogg International Work Group, 1987). Thus, the provision of accurate information pertaining to the risk factors and preventive strategies for falls would seem essential in times of fiscal restraints. Unfortunately, progression of knowledge within the area of falls prevention has been hampered primarily by many methodological and conceptual limitations. Additionally, no one data set or research study has been able to adequately deal with all of the issues and gaps that need to be addressed. Therefore, in order to obtain a better understanding of the "big picture" concerning falls, it would seem necessary to tap into multiple sources of data concerning fall information. Secondary data sources, in addition to the collection or primary data, were thus used to address specific gaps within the literature. Specifically, the distinction between one-time fallers and multiple fallers within different settings (e.g., community-based, institutional settings), the existence of effect modification within models, and the analysis of information at the national level pertaining to falls was conducted. Further, the testing of falls education classes and balance control exercise programs within gymnasiums and aquatic settings in the prevention of falls were examined. The data sets utilized for this analysis included the Survey on Ageing and Independence, the National Population Health Survey, data from the Program Needs Survey at Grand River Hospital: Freeport Health Centre, and primary data collected from the completion of the intervention program for falls. The intervention program for falls generally revealed that the seniors participating in the balance control programs experienced significantly less multiple falls, hospitalizations, fractures and deaths than the control group. Further, the experimental group significantly improved their balance and balance confidence after the intervention (Time 2) and at follow-up (Time 3) as compared to the control group.