Dissemination and Implementation of Evidence-Based Falls Prevention Programs: Reach and Effectiveness

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Public Health
• Evidence-Based Practice

Background:

• The Administration for Community Living (ACL) grantees implemented evidence-based fall prevention programs (EBFPPs) between 2014 and 2019.
• The Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework guided the description of program implementation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the implementation of EBFPPs by ACL grantees.
• To evaluate the reach and initial outcomes of these programs.

Main Methods:

• Data were collected from 44 grantees, including workshop, participant, attendance, and organizational data.
• Data were gathered before and after EBFPP implementation.
• Participant data (N = 85,848) included demographics, fear of falling, and fall history.

Main Results:

• Ten EBFPPs were delivered in 35 states, with senior centers being the most common setting.
• Participants (mean age 75.5 years, 79.7% female) reported significant reductions in fear of falling (31.8%), fewer falls (21.6%), and fewer injurious falls (10.1%) post-program (p < .0001).

Conclusions:

• ACL grantees successfully implemented EBFPPs, reaching over 85,000 older adults.
• Participation led to improved confidence, reduced fear of falling, and fewer falls.
• Future research should target underserved populations and compare the effectiveness of specific programs.