Earn CE Credit With AJOT Articles!
Learn about tested treatment strategies by reading AJOT articles in your area of practice. Become an evidence-based practitioner and demonstrate your knowledge by passing the course exam. Articles have been selected for their relevance to practice, fresh ideas, and strong evidence supporting treatment and the distinct value of OT.
Credit: .1 CEUs (1.25 NBCOT PDU’s/1 contact hour)
Authors
Sharon Elliott, DHS, GCG, OTR/L, BCG, FAOTA, is Healthy Aging Specialist, Pitt County Council on Aging, Greenville, NC
Natalie E. Leland, PhD, OTR/L, BCG, FAOTA, is Associate Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, and Adjunct Faculty, Department of Health Services, Policy, and Practice, Brown University, Providence, RI.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE. Accidental falls among community-dwelling older adults are preventable and increase the risk of morbidity, hospitalization, and institutionalization. We updated and broadened a 2008 systematic review examining the evidence for the effectiveness of fall prevention interventions in improving fall-related outcomes, occupational performance, quality of life, and health care facility readmissions for community dwelling older adults.
METHOD. We searched and analyzed literature published from 2008 to 2015 from five electronic databases.
RESULTS. Fifty articles met the inclusion criteria and were critically appraised and synthesized—37 provided Level I; 5, Level II; and 8, Level III evidence. Analysis was organized into four intervention themes: single component, multicomponent, multifactorial, and population based. Mixed evidence was found for single-component and multifactorial interventions, strong evidence was found for multicomponent interventions, and moderate evidence was found for population-based interventions.
CONCLUSION. These findings can inform the delivery and integration of fall prevention interventions from acute care to community discharge.
Learning Objectives
Following this course, the learner will be able to:
1. Understand the incidence,, costs to society, and possible health consequences of falls to older adults in the community.
2. Identify fall risk factors in older adults and discuss occupational therapy’s role in fall prevention.
3. Differentiate between single-component, multicomponent, multifactorial, and population-based fall prevention interventions.
4. Discuss the evidence for fall-prevention interventions and implications for occupational therapy practice.
Exam questions for this course authored by Marie Morreale, OTR/L, CHT
Learning Level: Intermediate
Target Audience: Occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants
Content Focus: Category 1: Domain of OT; Category 2: OT Process: Intervention
Reference Information:
Elliott, S., & Leland, N. E. (2018). Occupational therapy fall prevention interventions for community-dwelling older adults: A systematic review. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 72, 7204190040. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2018.030494
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