Testing a New Tool to Predict Fall Risk in Older Adults Living at Home Aged 65 and Above

What this Trial Is About

Falls affect between 23% and 34% of adults aged 65 and older each year. Researchers aim to validate and improve a new comprehensive multifactorial screening tool designed to predict fall risk among community-dwelling older adults in Belgium. The study compares this new algorithms accuracy with the current Belgian policy for fall prevention. Participants will undergo a single testing session involving questions about general health and medical history, two questionnaires Geriatric Depression Scale and Falls Efficacy Scale, and seven physical tests including Timed Up and Go, Single Limb Stance, and gait speed assessments. The new algorithm integrates these baseline data to predict fall risk, with its accuracy evaluated over a one-year follow-up period. During the year following the initial assessment, participants will monitor their falls daily using a monthly falls calendar, reporting whether they fell each day. Researchers will analyze the number of falls, along with baseline measures such as depression, fear of falling, mobility, cognitive function, balance, strength, and gait speed. This approach allows detailed evaluation of fall risk and related factors in older adults living in the community.

Validating a Multifactorial Algorithm to Predict Fall Risk in Community Dwelling Older Persons Aged 65 Years or Older