A Digital Health Fall Prevention Program for Older Adults: Feasibility Study.

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Digital Health Interventions
• Exercise Science

Background:

• Falls are a significant health concern for adults aged 65 and older, with approximately one-third experiencing falls annually.
• Exercise interventions are proven effective in mitigating fall risk and reducing fall rates in this demographic.
• Age Bold Inc. launched the Bold Fall Prevention Program in 2020, utilizing a digital, remotely delivered exercise approach to address falls in older adults.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a feasibility study assessing the remote delivery of the Bold Fall Prevention Program.
• To evaluate the program's impact on annualized fall rates and weekly physical activity (PA) over a 6-month period.

Main Methods:

• Recruitment of older adults at high risk for falls through nationwide digital advertising.
• Remote data collection via self-reported surveys at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months.
• Calculation of changes in annualized fall rate and weekly minutes of PA.

Main Results:

• Remote recruitment, enrollment, and data collection for the digital fall prevention program were feasible.
• Participants demonstrated engagement with on-demand video exercise classes and online surveys.
• Among survey completers, weekly PA increased by 182% and annualized falls decreased by 46%.

Conclusions:

• The Bold Fall Prevention Program is a feasible strategy for increasing physical activity in older adults.
• The program effectively contributes to reducing the incidence and impact of falls among the elderly population.
• Remote digital delivery models show promise for scalable and accessible fall prevention interventions.