Falls reduction in long-term care facilities: a preliminary report of a new internet-based behavioral technique

• Published in: Journal of the American Medical Directors Association Vol. 10; no. 9; p. 630
• Main Authors: Mansdorf, Irwin J, Sharma, Ravil, Perez, Melanie, Lepore, Anne-Marie
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.11.2009
• Subjects: Accidental Falls - prevention & control; Accidental Falls - statistics & numerical data; Age Factors; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Behavior Therapy - methods; Behavioral Symptoms - therapy; Cohort Studies; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Geriatric Psychiatry; Homes for the Aged; Humans; Internet - utilization; Long-Term Care - methods; Long-Term Care - statistics & numerical data; Male; Middle Aged; New York; Nursing Homes; Prevalence; Retrospective Studies; Risk Assessment; Safety Management - methods; Sex Factors; Time Factors; New York
• ISSN: 1538-9375
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jamda.2009.06.005

To investigate an Internet-based psychological intervention targeting behavioral factors related to falls among residents of long-term care communities. Retrospective A-B design with 90-day look-back. Long-term care communities in New York State (N=4, 3 SNF, 1 ALF). Nursing home residents (N=26). Internet-based programmed learning system using cognitive- and behavioral-based techniques. Direct measures of documented falls in the medical record, perceived risk and burden scales, Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I), Attitudes to Falls-Related Interventions Scale (AFRIS). Reductions in documented falls by 52% along with substantial reductions in staff ratings of risk and burden. Behavioral treatment of risk factors related to falls within a structured delivery using Internet-based intervention may be an effective and efficient mechanism for treating fall risk in long-term care settings.