Functional Fitness for Falls Prevention
Course Development and Pilot Phase
Clara Fitzgerald – Program Director
Chelsie Free – Kinesiologist & Leadership Educator
The CCAA
A national research &
education centre within the
Faculty of Health Sciences,
The University of Western
Ontario.
Functional Fitness for Falls Prevention
Our Mission
To develop, encourage
and promote an active,
healthy lifestyle for
Canadian adults that will
enhance the dignity of
the aging process
Functional Fitness for Falls Prevention
What We Do
•
•
•
•
Research
Knowledge Translation
Education and Training
Model Physical Activity
Programs
• Program delivery to older
people
• Evaluation
Functional Fitness for Falls Prevention
CCAA’s Functional
Fitness for Falls
Prevention (FFFP)
Training
Functional Fitness for Falls Prevention
Funding
• Partial funding from Ontario MoHP
• Healthy Communities Fund – Provincial
• Address 2 risk factors
• Injury Prevention & Physical Activity
• Reach all 4 Ministry Regions
Functional Fitness for Falls Prevention
FFFP Project Description
• One-day FFFP training for care facility staff
• Four regions of Ontario
• Increase staff knowledge regarding impact
of physical activity on seniors falling
• Reduce fall rates in Ontario retirement
residences over the long term
Functional Fitness for Falls Prevention
Ministry Regions in Ontario
North Region Sudbury
East Region
West Region
London
Functional Fitness for Falls Prevention
Peterborough
Central Region Mississauga
Project Goals:
1. Improve knowledge of fall risk factors & how to modify
them
2. Provide skills and knowledge to screen individuals to
determine fall risk level
3. Increase use of FP exercise programming to reduce falls
4. Influence burden that falling has on health care system
5. Increase the overall fitness and health of seniors
6. Help seniors prolong functional
independence & delay LTC admission
Functional Fitness for Falls Prevention
FFFP Content
 Functional Fitness for Older Adults overview
 Falls & Seniors: information overview
 Fall Risk Factors & Risk Management
 Fall-Risk screening tools & Gait analysis
 Falls prevention exercise programming
 guidelines for development,
implementation, evaluation, goal setting,
follow up, buy-in etc.
 Sample 30min FFFP exercise session
Functional Fitness for Falls Prevention
Outcomes To Date...
• Total of 136 individuals trained
• Pre Survey Results indicated
• majority of participants had limited FP background
• 1/3 had none
• of those who did, only 35% indicated a focus was on PA
• 96% have seen a fall within the last 6 mos
• 32% seeing 20 or more falls in 6 mos
• 45% report fallers unable to reach pre-fall functional level
• Overall Feedback (based on end-of-course evaluation survey)
• Good course organization, information
and materials
• Follow up survey scheduled for Fall 2010
Functional Fitness for Falls Prevention
Lessons Learned
Difficult to target a specific staff population within
seniors care niche (interest in FP from all areas of care)
 Ensure host facilities can comfortably
accommodate full day training
 Offer courses in smaller numbers (20 max)
 Include more group work, discussion and hands-on
learning
Functional Fitness for Falls Prevention
Future Implications
• Follow up with pilot participants to gauge impact of FFFP
(Survey scheduled for Fall 2010)
•Will offer FFFP within standard CCAA course offerings
• Expand FFFP course Nationally
Move toward outcome-based falls prevention exercise
programs in all senior care settings in an effort to improve
functional independence of older adults and
reduce overall fall rates
Functional Fitness for Falls Prevention
Contact Information:
Websites:
CCAA Main - www.uwo.ca/actage
Courses - www.ccaa-outreach.com
Clara Fitzgerald
519-661-1604
cfitzge4@uwo.ca
Functional Fitness for Falls Prevention
Chelsie Free
519-661-2059
cfree2@uwo.ca
Thanks to Our Partners!
Ministry of Health
Promotion
Functional Fitness for Falls Prevention