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Older adults receiving care support at home experience increased functional decline, falling twice as often as their age-matched peers. Programs addressing falls are not routinely included in homecare services, despite guidelines recommending education and exercise for older adults. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of a novel falls prevention program delivered by trained homecare workers on older adults’ functional mobility and rates of falls. A prospective pre-post intervention study was conducted at a Western Australian homecare organisation. The program comprised of weekly falls education and exercises delivered for 12-weeks, followed by a 12-week maintenance period. Participants’ physical and psychosocial outcomes were measured at baseline, 12-weeks and 24-weeks. Falls rates for the study observation period (24-weeks) were compared to the preceding 12-months. Quantitative data were analysed using generalised linear mixed-effects modelling. Participants’ [n=69, mean age 83.6 (±6.9) years; 60.9% female] mobility [Timed-up and go test, -3.36 seconds (-5.40, -1.31) (p=0.001)] and static balance [10-second tandem stance (n=34, 52.3%), (n=27, 39.1%) (p<0.05)] improved at 12-weeks compared to baseline. There were no significant differences in gait speed, lower limb strength or falls rates. Health-related quality of life [EQ-5D-5L, 10.53 (6.03, 15.02) (p<0.001)] improved and fear of falling [Short FES-I, -2.33 (-3.47, -1.19) (p<0.001)] decreased at 12-weeks and 24-weeks compared to baseline. Participants improved their confidence to stay safe and felt they had a clear plan to prevent falls following the program. Findings support the opportunity for homecare worker delivered falls prevention as a viable reablement strategy for older adults receiving homecare.
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