Page 21 - Preventing Falls: How to Develop Community-based Fall Prevention Programs for Older Adults

Chapter 4. Selecting an Evidence-Based Fall Prevention Program

CHAPTER 4

Selecting an

Evidence-Based Fall

Prevention Program

What is an evidence-based program?

An evidence-based fall prevention intervention is one that
has been tested using a rigorous research design and
shown to reduce falls in older adults. The intervention is
then translated into a program before it is implemented
in a community setting.

However, to remain effective, an evidence-based program
must maintain fidelity to the original intervention—that is,
it must retain the key elements that made the intervention
effective—while being adapted to fit the requirements of
the implementation setting, such as a senior center or
community center.

Community fall prevention programs

CDC supports evidence-based community fall prevention
programs such as those translated from the interventions
included in the CDC Compendium of Effective Fall Interventions.
(See Selected web resources at the end of this chapter for more
information about the CDC Compendium). Below are examples
of programs communities have implemented successfully.
• Stepping On

Program focus: Stepping On is a group program that
helps older adults reduce their fall risk and improve their
quality of life.
Duration: Participants attend two-hour workshops that
are facilitated by two trained leaders once a week for
seven weeks.

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