Digital Health Interventions for Falls Prevention in Older People

Implementation of falls prevention programs at scale remains challenging due to resource constraints, clinic dependency and inequitable access. We critically review digital health technologies and map these to the World Falls Guidelines (WFG) risk-stratified pathway, from risk screening to intervention delivery, appraising the evidence, clinical readiness and implementation challenges.

Self-managed digital exercise programs have the strongest evidence base, with three trials demonstrating reductions in falls among community-living older people and economic data supporting cost-effectiveness in those with a history of falls. Other technologies demonstrate feasibility, but none has demonstrated falls reduction in adequately powered trials. Implementation evidence is emerging but concentrated in high-income, digitally literate populations. Mapped to the WFG pathway, digital exercise programs are ready for routine implementation; realising broader potential requires regulatory frameworks that set evidence standards for digital products, funding models that support digital care and sustained commitment to equitable access across the diversity of older people.