Fall Risk Beliefs and Behaviors Following a Fall in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Pilot Study

Real uptake of recommendations is at the crux of community-based fall prevention. This mixed methods intervention study investigated how knowledge of one's own fall risk influenced self-reported behaviors and beliefs about falls and fall prevention in the home by older adults. Between one-on-one semi-structured interviews, participants received their individual scores compared to age-matched normative values for the Falls Efficacy Scale, Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale, BiodexTM Fall Risk Test, and cut scores for the Timed Up and Go and Berg Balance Scale. Change scores on the Falls Behavioural Scale for Older Adults were reviewed as norm values were not found in the literature. Findings from the fall-related assessments and interviews reiterated the complexity of falls and fall prevention in a fluctuating curve of "awareness" comprised of "having concern, being careful," "accepting," and "action/behavior related to fall prevention."Despite some uptake of recommended fall prevention advice, being perceived as susceptible to falls remained unacceptable to these participants, limiting real transfer or expressed belief in fall risk.