Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Formative Research
Date Submitted: Oct 10, 2024
Date Accepted: Jan 29, 2025
Development and Implementation of Strong Foundations, a Digitally Delivered Fall Prevention Program: A Usability and Feasibility Pilot
ABSTRACT
Background:
Falls remain a major public health problem and significant cause of preventable injury. Maintaining strength and balance by staying active can prevent falls in older adults, and public health advocates support referral to community exercise programs, however penetration and access remains unclear; given the growth in use and acceptance of technologic interfaces, there remains an interest in understanding the role of a synchronous exercise program specifically designed to be delivered in a digital environment with respect to usability and feasibility.
Objective:
To design and implement a digital fall prevention program to older adults, to understand the usability, feasibility, and attendance.
Methods:
The research team designed “Strong Foundations”, a 12-week, live, digitally delivered fall-prevention exercise program for older adults deemed to be a low fall risk by scores of 4 or less from the CDC’s STEADI Staying Independent questionnaire. The System Usability Scale (SUS) measured usability feasibility at completion of this program, and digitally measures of fall risk (Timed Up and Go (TUG) and 30-Second Chair Stand) were collected, pre/post intervention, Data were collected in 2021.
Results:
39 older adults were recruited and 38 completed the 12 week program with an average age of 71. The average usability was 80.6, with an 85% attendance rate and 8.5 (out of 10) self reported satisfaction score. Digitally collected measures of fall risk statistically improved pre/post intervention.
Conclusions:
There was excellent usability and acceptability for Strong Foundations, a novel fall-prevention program designed to be delivered digitally, and promising improvement of objective measures of fall-risk. Clinical Trial: Not registered
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