Injury Matters delivers two Stay On Your Feet® Move Improve Remove campaigns each year, focusing on modifiable risk factors for falls under the Move Your Body, Improve Your Health and Remove Hazards messages. The Move Improve Remove grants program provides groups and organisations with the opportunity to deliver falls prevention programs targeting older adults within their community.
Background
Forty older adults in the Shire of Augusta Margaret River region attended an eight-week Otago Exercise Program to prevent falls and promote healthy ageing. This initiative was supported through a Stay On Your Feet® Community Grant implemented between March and May 2024. Local allied health professionals Julie Ruzich Physiotherapy and Functional Solutions OT Services were the recipients of a Move Your Body grant to delivery a falls prevention program in their community.
Partnerships and collaboration
Identifying a need for falls prevention education and strength and balance activities for older adults in their community, local allied health professionals Julie Ruzich Physiotherapy and Functional Solutions OT Services partnered to deliver a Move Your Body community falls prevention program. Partnerships with the Shire of Augusta Margaret River and the Margaret River Recreation Centre enabled the program to reach older adults in the community and increase awareness of the available exercise options locally. The Margaret River Recreation Centre promoted the exercise groups and membership opportunities available to adults in the community.
Objectives
- As a result of taking part in the grant program, 80% of participants will demonstrate increased knowledge and awareness of strength and balance exercises for falls prevention.
- As a result of taking part in the grant program, 80% of participants will have increased intention to perform strength and balance exercises for falls prevention.
- As a result of taking part in the grant program, 80% of participants will demonstrate increased knowledge and awareness of falls risks within their home environment.
- As a result of taking part in the program, participants will increase their leg strength and balance by 10% to prevent falls.
Measurement tools
- Pre and post program surveys to measure proportion of participants who increased their knowledge and awareness of strength and balance exercises for falls prevention and intention to continue performing exercises.
- Attendance record
- 30 Second Chair Stand Test-to test leg strength and endurance
- The 4-stage Balance Test- to assess static balance
Implementation
The Otago Exercise Program is an evidence-based falls prevention program for older adults. It includes 17 strength and balance exercises and a walking program.
Participants received detailed handouts with exercise instructions and ankle weights to encourage ongoing participation in strength and balance exercises at home during and after the eight-week program. Initial assessments were conducted to establish baselines for strength and balance using the 4-Stage Balance Test and 30-Second Sit-to-Stand test, with follow-up assessments for evaluations.
For the program’s education component, the Physiotherapist and Occupational Therapist team delivered information sessions, highlighting the importance of building strength, challenging balance, and home safety to reduce the risk of falls.
These sessions included in-depth group discussions where participants shared their fall experiences and coping strategies after a fall. These peer-to-peer discussions led to a request for a session on how to get up off the floor safely, which was accommodated and practiced in a controlled environment using the Stay On Your Feet® “Get Up Off The Floor” resource.
It’s surprising to see how much my balance has improved over the short time in the program. I can balance on one leg with my eyes closed, which I couldn’t do before.
Move Your Body grant participant
Evaluation and impact
Upon completing the program:
- 100% of participants had improved their 4-Stage Balance Test (average improvement of 3.1 seconds) and their 30-Second Sit-to-Stand test (average improvement of 8.8 seconds).
- Participants reported they had increased awareness of preventing falls through strength and balance exercises and felt motivated to continue the exercises at home or with their peers.
- The program increased participants confidence in daily activities and getting off the floor safely.
- Adding to the program’s success, participants reported increased social connections, with friendships formed, highlighting the sense of community built among peers.
We feel fortunate that the grant enabled two local therapists the chance to provide this service to our community. We are determined to continue this into the future and we have a waitlist of people interested
Julie Ruzich
Sustainability
The Shire and Recreation Centre recognised the program’s benefits, opening up future funding opportunities to enable the program to be free or low-cost for community members.
The capacity building nature of the Move Improve Remove grants program allows Injury Matters to support groups and build skills among applicants through grant coaching. Coaching may include assessing need, planning, and delivery of a project, or evaluation to increase project sustainability. The grants program also helps to raise awareness among older adults of falls prevention strategies for each campaign.
If you would like to receive coaching or support for our next round of Stay On Your Feet® grant applications please reach out to the Grants Coordinator 6166 7688 or at [email protected].