Strategies for Preventing Falls in the Elderly

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Prevention; Telehealth; Physical Therapy; Fall; Elderly
• Interventions: Other: real-time intervention

• Registration Number: NCT06089213
• Lead Sponsor: Federal University of Health Science of Porto Alegre

Brief Summary

Fall incidents are the third cause of chronic disability in the elderly, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Recent reviews demonstrate that multifactorial and multicomponent intervention programs are effective in preventing falls in community-dwelling older adults. However, the application of these programs may not be accessible to a large part of the elderly population. The lack of continuity in the treatment of the consequences of falls, as well as the dissemination of prevention measures for this patient profile, could be minimized through the use of information and communication technologies. Method: This will be a randomized clinical trial that aims to evaluate the effects of two fall prevention strategies via telerehabilitation for elderly fallers after admission to an emergency room. It will be carried out by a multidisciplinary team with interventions for eight weeks and monitoring of outcomes over a period of four months. Patients will be evaluated regarding aspects of functionality in the second and month after the interventions and regarding the recurrence of falls during the four-month period. Discussion: The hypothesis is that the programs are viable in terms of accessibility to home training. However, to date, there is no evidence about the differences between these forms of interventions to prevent falls via telecare.

Detailed Description

To compare the effects of two different strategies for preventing falls through telerehabilitation for elderly fallers after admission to an emergency room.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2021-01-01
• Primary Completion: 2023-09-01
• Study Completion: 2023-09-02
• Study First Submitted: 2023-09-26
• Status Verified: 2023-10
• Study First Submitted QC: 2023-10-16
• Last Update Submitted: 2023-10-16
• Study First Posted: 2023-10-18
• Last Update Posted: 2023-10-18

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 20

Inclusion Criteria

• elderly fallers

Exclusion Criteria

• neurological diseases

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Interactive services	real-time intervention	Otago exercises performed in "real-time" or "synchronous" mode of digital health care. It consists of direct communication between physiotherapist and the patient.
Remote telemonitoring	real-time intervention	Otago exercises performed remotely, using technologies such as messaging apps. It consists of indirect communication between physiotherapist and the patient.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Rate of Falls	four months	After the intervention periods, participants will be followed for another 16 weeks. Every week, recurrences of falls will be recorded via telephone calls. You will be asked whether there were falls in the period

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Concern of falls	through study completion, an average of 1 year	The assessment will consist of Self-efficacy tests for Falls
Balance	through study completion, an average of 1 year	The assessment will consist of Timed-Up and Go test
Arms Muscle strength	through study completion, an average of 1 year	Palm Grip Strength
Legs Muscle strength	through study completion, an average of 1 year	Sitting and Rising from a Chair tests
Functionality	through study completion, an average of 1 year	Katz Index on elderly functionality evaluation for the analysis of basic activities

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Hospital de Pronto Socorro; 🇧🇷 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil