|
A Step Forward For Fall Prevention
Fall Prevention Center of Excellence is to become a principle developer of California’s fall prevention infrastructure with the announcement of a $600,000 grant from the Archstone Foundation
By Julia Kwei and Athan Bezaitis
The Fall Prevention Center of Excellence (FPCE), a non-profit consortium based at the USC Andrus Gerontology Center, has received a $600,000 grant from the Archstone Foundation to implement fall prevention initiatives throughout southern California.
The proposed research will apply model intervention programs in six senior centers throughout Orange and Los Angeles Counties. Programs will be initiated at three levels of intensity – high, medium and low– in order to determine the most efficient levels of professional staff, time and resources given to fall prevention measures such as physical activity, medical risk assessment and home modification appraisal.
For example, in the high intensity group of the physical activity module, the FPCE will provide a private instructor who will teach a balance and strength program, provide a home exercise plan and lay out a walking plan for elder participants. The medium intensity group will be offered a similar balance, strength and aerobic endurance training regimen plus encouragement to participate in a walking plan but without the instructor or a formal home exercise regimen. The low intensity group will be offered either the group exercise program or the home exercise program. At the end of the study, the different sites will be analyzed based upon changes in physical activity levels, functional performance, fall incident rates and quality of life in order to determine the best preventative care.
“We hope that this research will result in effective, affordable and engaging models that can be easily replicated across the state and country and will reduce the risk of falls among older adults,” said Joseph F. Prevratil, president and CEO of the Archstone Foundation. The Archstone Foundation, a private grantmaking organization whose mission is to contribute towards the preparation of society in meeting the needs of an aging population, awarded a $6.5 million dollar grant in 2004 to establish the Fall Prevention Center of Excellence consortium.
Much of the work of the FPCE builds on aging in place and home modification research conducted over the last 20 years by Jon Pynoos, professor of gerontology at the USC Davis School and co-director of the FPCE.
“Falls are considered to be a serious health risk and the leading cause of injury related death for people ages 65 and older,” said Dr. Pynoos. “Many older people think falls are inevitable. Research, however, indicates that 30 to 40 percent of falls can be prevented.”
Through the website at www.stopfalls.org, the FPCE serves older adults, families, health care providers, and the government by providing a hub for information and resources.
USC’s Andrus Gerontology Center is one of four organizations in the Fall Prevention Center of Excellence consortium. The remaining three organizations include The Center for Successful Aging at California State University, Fullerton, the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center at UCLA, and the California Department of Health Services, State and Local Injury Control Section. Each organization will play a vital role in administering and securing the success of the program.
Home |
