Description

Research questions of interest in the project are:

1. Can an eight week (eight sessions) high intensity group based fall prevention program increase strength, balance, activity level, quality of life, self-efficacy as well as reduce sedentary behavior, fear of falling and fall frequency in older adults?
2. Can older adults learn fall techniques by participating in an eight-week (eight-session) high intensity group based fall prevention program?
3. What experiences are there from the trained leaders and the participants in the intervention?
4. How can the program be implemented in the organisations for retired persons, facilitators and barriers?

A total of at least 10 volunteers will be recruited from the organisations for retired persons and trained to be instructors of the FallFitness program. These FallFitness instructors will lead the intervention groups in the planned randomised controlled trial.

For the 50 participants randomized to the intervention group a eight program including six different central components, strength, balance, self-efficacy, motor skills, and falling technique will be introduced. Estimation of about ten participants in each group with a total of five groups are planned.

Materials needed are mainly soft judo carpets. The exercise takes place in groups and most of the exercises are done in pairs, which has been a successful concept in previously research on a similar programme, Judo4Balance.

Outcome measures of interest:

Strength, balance, quality of life, activity level, fear of falling, confidence in one's own ability to perform various activities without falling, fall frequency and falling techniques. Further a "train the trainer" approach will be evaluated for implementation and a long term perspective of fallprevention.