Steps Toward Safety: A Guide to Pharmacy Student-Led Fall Prevention

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Public Health
• Pharmacy Practice

Background:

• Older adults living in the community face elevated fall risks due to various factors.
• Community-based interventions are crucial for preventing falls and related injuries in this demographic.
• Pharmacist-led initiatives can address the multifaceted nature of fall prevention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of community fall-prevention events conducted by pharmacists and student pharmacists.
• To assess changes in the Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths, and Injuries (STEADI) scores among older adults.
• To examine secondary outcomes including home fall hazards, high-risk medication use, and confidence in chair-rise exercises.

Main Methods:

• An observational cohort study design was employed.
• Participants aged 55 and older attended community fall-prevention events.
• Data collected included STEADI scores, self-reported home hazards, medication review, and chair-rise confidence.

Main Results:

• A significant improvement in STEADI scores was observed post-intervention (P < 0.0001).
• Participants identified an average of 2 home fall hazards, with 92.6% implementing environmental changes.
• Confidence in performing the chair-rise exercise significantly increased (P = 0.0005), and participants reported taking an average of 2 high-risk medications.

Conclusions:

• Pharmacist-led fall prevention events effectively decrease fall risk in community-dwelling older adults.
• These events promote significant behavioral changes, including home modifications and medication awareness.
• The findings support the role of pharmacists in community outreach for fall prevention and enhancing older adults' confidence and safety.