Citation

Filiatrault J, Gauvin L, Richard L, Robitaille Y, Laforest S, Fournier M, Corriveau H. Arch. Phys. Med. Rehabil. 2008; 89(10): 1948-1957.

Affiliation

Institut national de sante publique du Quebec, Montreal, QC, Canada. johanne.filiatrault@umontreal.ca

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.apmr.2008.01.031

PMID

18929023

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of a multifaceted falls prevention program including exercise and educational components on perceived balance and balance confidence among community-dwelling seniors. DESIGN: Quasi-experimental design. SETTING: Community-based organizations. PARTICIPANTS: Two hundred community-dwelling adults aged 60 years and over recruited by community-based organizations. INTERVENTION: A 12-week multifaceted falls prevention program including 3 components (a 1-hour group exercise class held twice a week, a 30-minute home exercise module to be performed at least once a week, a 30-minute educational class held once a week). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Perceived balance and balance confidence. RESULTS: Multivariate analysis showed that the program was successful in increasing perceived balance in experimental participants. However, balance confidence was not improved by program participation. CONCLUSIONS: A multifaceted community-based falls prevention program that was successful in improving balance performance among community-dwelling seniors also had a positive impact on perceived balance. However, the program did not improve participants' balance confidence. These results suggest that balance confidence has determinants other than balance and that new components and/or modifications of existing components of the program are required to achieve maximal benefits for seniors in terms of physical and psychologic outcomes.

Language: en