Technology-Enhanced Exercise and Education Program to Prevent Falls in Older Adults Aged 60 to 95

What this Trial Is About

Falls and injuries from falls are a major health concern for older adults, leading to injuries, longer hospital stays, reduced mobility, and a lower quality of life. Researchers are evaluating the effectiveness of a technology-enhanced, multi-domain, multi-component falls prevention program called SAFE-TECH for community-dwelling older adults at higher risk of falling. This trial aims to improve on previous programs by using wearable technology to better identify those at high risk and tailor interventions to individual needs. Participants are randomly assigned to either the intervention or control group. Those in the intervention group receive a 12-week program combining progressive exercises targeting strength, balance, flexibility, coordination, and endurance with education addressing fall risk factors such as medication use, nutrition, pain, blood pressure drops, vision, and home hazards. After the active phase, participants enter a 9-month maintenance phase encouraging continued physical activity and fall prevention behavior. The control group receives usual care without intervention for 12 months. Participants will be assessed at the start, at 3 months, and again at 12 months on various factors including physical function, cognitive status, quality of life, and fall history. Monthly phone calls will track falls, healthcare use, physical activity, and confidence in exercising. The main outcome measured is the number of participants who experience falls over the year, along with injuries from falls and changes in physical function and behavior. The study lasts about one year for each participant.

A Multi-domain and Multi-component Falls Intervention Program for Community- Dwelling Older Adults: SAFE-TECH