Falls in older adults have an annual incidence between 23 and 34% for persons of 65 years and older. The lack of transfer of promising research results on falls prevention to daily practice may have several explanations. One of the first concerns for that matter may be a valid and sensitive selection of the persons at risk who are eligible for fall prevention interventions
Goals of the prospective obeservational study:
1. To validate a new, comprehensive, multifactorial screeningsintrument to predict the risk on falls in community dwelling, Belgian, older adults (\>65years or older). 2. To optimize the new, comprehensive, multifactorial screeningsintrument and to specify correct cut off scores
Researchers will compare the data of the accuracy of new algorithm with the current Belgian policy.
Participants will participate in a one-time testing moment, where they will be asked some questions about general characteristics and medical history, followed by two questionnaire and seven physical tests . Based on this data, their fall risk will be assessed. In the year that follows, the older person's fall behavior will be monitored with a monthly falls calender. Participant will be asked to fill out these calenders everyday ('Did you fall today?' YES/NO) and send them at the end of each month to the researchers, digitally or postal.
65years or older
community dwellers
absence of surgery or exacerbation of symptoms in the last 6 months
ability to stand and walk independently (alone), possibly with an walking aid.
<65 years of age
surgery within the previous 6 months affecting gait and mobility
exacerbation of symptoms coming from a diagnosed disease
older adults with insufficient (language) comprehension to complete the tests and questionnaires
Community dwelling, belgian older adults
Cohort
Prospective
Multifactorial algorithm to predict fall risk
Diagnostic testIn this new multifactorial algorithm we will add baseline data (personal characteristics, medical history, and physical and psychological measurements) to predict an older adults risk on falls. The accuracy of this new model will be tested with a 1-year follow up on falls. The new algorithm is inspired by the study of Lusardi et al. (2017): Lusardi MM, Fritz S, Middleton A, Allison L, Wingood M, Phillips E, Criss M, Verma S, Osborne J, Chui KK. Determining Risk of Falls in Community Dwelling Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Using Posttest Probability. J Geriatr Phys Ther. 2017 Jan/Mar;40(1):1-36. doi: 10.1519/JPT.0000000000000099. PMID: 27537070; PMCID: PMC5158094.
Conducted analysis of integraded tests
Fall risk calculated with the new multifactorial algorithm based on: * general, personal characteristics * medical history * physical measurements * self reported questionnaires
Number of falls among Belgian, community dwelling older adults
The number of falls measured with a monthly falls calender
Depression
Measured with the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-16)
Fear of falling
Measured with the Falls Efficacy Scale (FES-I)
Functional mobility
Measured with the Timed Up and Go (seconds)
Executive cognitive capacity
Measured with the Timed Up and Go in combination with a cognitive dual task (100-3-3-3-...) (seconds)
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