Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #111470

Shelley Martin, MPH, CHES, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, 2140 Shattuck Ave. 10th Floor, Berkeley, CA 94702, 510-642-9791, shelleym@berkeley.edu and Susan Getgen, RN, Bureau of Advocacy, Protection and Education, State of Pennsylvania, 555 Walnut Street, 5th Floor, Harrisburg, PA 17101-1919.

The session presents a new joint statewide project of Pennsylvania's Departments of Aging and Public Welfare, addressing fall risk-reduction among older adults age 60 and above who are Medicaid eligible. The three-year project is currently being piloted through Area Agencies on Aging and is designed to maximize the use of current resources and networks while incorporating evidence-based practices in fall-prevention for older adults. The multiple session group program addresses a broad range factors predisposing people to falls, including environmental safety, nutrition, social connectedness, balance, strength, flexibility, endurance, foot health, sensory deficits, poly-pharmacy, mental and spiritual well-being, health status and active lifestyles. It uses a new interactive curriculum and participant workbook designed to exemplify best practices in empowerment, health literacy and cultural competency. Referrals and follow-up to a wide range of community resources and medical services are an integral part of the program. An evaluation currently in process is designed to measure both the breadth of the program's impact and its effect on fall risk reduction. The Center for Community Wellness at the University of California, Berkeley, has worked with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to develop the curriculum, workbook and evaluation plan.

Learning Objectives:

• - Describe a comprehensive, community-based (AAA-centered) falls risk-reduction program for Medicaid-enrolled older adults.
• - List at least eight factors affecting fall risk in older adults.
• - Identify a broad range of group-based educational interventions and referrals to address fall risk factors.
• - Describe an interactive curriculum exemplifying best practices in empowerment, health literacy and cultural competency.
• - Identify evaluation tools and methodologies used to evaluate a multi-faceted pilot intervention.

Keywords: Aging, Injury Prevention

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.