Working Together With Consumers to Develop Falls Prevention Education for Older People Receiving Homecare - a...

Frail, older people receiving homecare services have a 50% higher rate of falls compared with age-matched peers. Falls prevention education can assist older people in understanding risks and preventing falls, but it needs to be relevant and appropriate for both consumers and context. Consumer experience and perspectives can shape decisions that improve programme relevance and health outcomes. This study aimed to revise a novel falls prevention education programme with older homecare clients (consumers) and staff (stakeholders) for implementation in the homecare setting.

Mixed methods design using a community-based participatory approach. Consumer and stakeholder focus groups were undertaken using a co-design framework. Qualitative data were analysed using deductive content analysis and the revised resources were scored using the quantitative Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool.

Twelve consumers and eleven stakeholders (n = 23) participated in revising the education programme and valued the opportunity to engage in co-design. Consumers were aware of environmental risk factors and strategies to prevent falls but identified they lacked knowledge about why falls occurred and appreciated the clear and simple information presented in the programme. The education resources (message cards and video) were deemed sensible, important and very good motivational reminders but needed aesthetic and cultural revisions. The revised resources scored above > 87.3% for understandability and actionability, being synonymous with high-quality.

Consumers and stakeholders greatly valued the co-design experience and contributed to the successful revision of a falls prevention education programme. The revised programme will be evaluated in a larger research trial aimed at preventing falls and enabling older homecare clients to remain safely at home.

The older consumers who participated in this study were recipients of homecare support services with lived experience of falls. They contributed to the revision and co-production of a novel falls prevention education programme that originated through consumer and community involvement. The research team includes a consumer investigator and co-author (BJ) who provided feedback and input at all stages of the research, including project design, data analysis and manuscript review.