Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) with and without exercise to reduce fear of falling in older people living in the community.

BACKGROUND: Fear of falling (FoF) is a lasting concern about falling that leads to an individual avoiding activities that he/she remains capable of performing. It is a common condition amongst older adults and may occur independently of previous falls. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), a talking therapy that helps change dysfunctional thoughts and behaviour, with and without exercise, may reduce FoF, for example, by reducing catastrophic thoughts related to falls, and modifying dysfunctional behaviour. OBJECTIVES: To assess the benefits and harms of CBT for reducing FoF in older people living in the community, and to assess the effects of interventions where CBT is used in combination with exercise. SEARCH METHODS: We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL, Issue 1, 2023), MEDLINE Ovid (from 1946 to 11 January 2023), Embase Ovid (from 1980 to 11 January 2023), CINAHL Plus (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature) (from 1982 to 11 January 2023), PsycINFO (from 1967 to 11 January 2023), and AMED (Allied and Complementary Medicine from 1985 to 11 January 2023). We handsearched reference lists and consulted experts for identifying additional studies. SELECTION CRITERIA: This review included randomised controlled trials (RCTs), quasi-RCTs, and cluster-RCTs assessing CBT with and without exercise interventions compared to control groups with sham-treatment, or treatment as usual. We defined CBT as a collaborative, time-limited, goal-oriented, and structured form of speaking therapy. Included studies recruited community-dwelling older adults, with a mean population age of at least 60 years minus one standard deviation, and not defined by a specific medical condition. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors used standard methodological procedures expected by Cochrane. For continuous data, as assessed by single- or multiple-item questionnaires, we report the mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence interval (CI) when studies used the same outcome measures, and standardised mean difference (SMD) when studies used different measures for the same clinical outcome. For dichotomous outcomes, we reported the treatment effects as risk ratios (RR) with 95% CIs. We measured the primary outcome, FoF, immediately, up to, and more than six months after the intervention. We analysed secondary outcomes of activity avoidance, occurrence of falls, depression, and quality of life when measured immediately after the intervention. We assessed risk of bias for each included study, using the GRADE approach to assess the certainty of evidence. MAIN RESULTS: We selected 12 studies for this review, with 11 studies included for quantitative synthesis. One study could not be included due to missing information. Of the 11 individual studies, two studies provided two comparisons, which resulted in 13 comparisons. Eight studies were RCTs, and four studies were cluster-RCTs. Two studies had multiple arms (CBT only and CBT with exercise) that fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The primary aim of 10 studies was to reduce FoF. The 11 included studies for quantitative synthesis involved 2357 participants, with mean ages between 73 and 83 years. Study total sample sizes varied from 42 to 540 participants. Of the 13 comparisons, three investigated CBT-only interventions while 10 investigated CBT with exercise. Intervention duration varied between six and 156 hours, at a frequency between three times a week and monthly over an eight- to 48-week period. Most interventions were delivered in groups of between five and 10 participants, and, in one study, up to 25 participants. Included studies had considerable heterogeneity, used different questionnaires, and had high risks of bias. CBT interventions with and without exercise probably improve FoF immediately after the intervention (SMD -0.23, 95% CI -0.36 to -0.11; 11 studies, 2357 participants; moderate-certainty evidence). The sensitivity analyses did not change the intervention effect significantly. Effects of CBT with or without exercise on FoF may be sustained up to six months after the intervention (SMD -0.24, 95% CI -0.41 to -0.07; 8 studies, 1784 participants; very low-certainty evidence). CBT with or without exercise interventions for FoF probably sustains improvements beyond six months (SMD -0.28, 95% CI -0.40 to -0.15; 5 studies, 1185 participants; moderate-certainty of evidence). CBT interventions for reducing FoF may reduce activity avoidance (MD -2.57, 95% CI -4.67 to -0.47; 1 study, 312 participants; low-certainty evidence), and level of depression (SMD -0.41, 95% CI -0.60 to -0.21; 2 studies, 404 participants; low-certainty evidence). We are uncertain whether CBT interventions reduce the occurrence of falls (RR 0.96, 95% CI 0.66 to 1.39; 5 studies, 1119 participants; very low-certainty evidence). All studies had a serious risk of bias, due to performance bias, and at least an unclear risk of detection bias, as participants and assessors could not be blinded due to the nature of the intervention. Downgrading of certainty of evidence also occurred due to heterogeneity between studies, and imprecision, owing to limited sample size of some studies. There was no reporting bias suspected for any article. No studies reported adverse effects due to their interventions. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: CBT with and without exercise interventions probably reduces FoF in older people living in the community immediately after the intervention (moderate-certainty evidence). The improvements may be sustained during the period up to six months after intervention (low-certainty evidence), and probably are sustained beyond six months (moderate-certainty evidence). Further studies are needed to improve the certainty of evidence for sustainability of FoF effects up to six months. Of the secondary outcomes, we are uncertain whether CBT interventions for FoF reduce the occurrence of falls (very low-certainty evidence). However, CBT interventions for reducing FoF may reduce the level of activity avoidance, and may reduce depression (low-certainty evidence). No studies reported adverse effects. Future studies could investigate different populations (e.g. nursing home residents or people with comorbidities), intervention characteristics (e.g. duration), or comparisons (e.g. CBT versus exercise), investigate adverse effects of the interventions, and add outcomes (e.g. gait analysis). Future systematic reviews could search specifically for secondary outcomes.

Participant Characteristics as Moderators of the Effects of Cognitive Behavioral Interventions on Concerns About Falling: Secondary Analyses of Two Randomized Controlled Trials.

Effects of interventions may vary among participants. We explored whether participant characteristics were moderators of the effects of two cognitive behavioral interventions on concerns about falling (CaF) in older community-dwelling people. Secondary analyses of two RCTs were performed, concerning the group intervention A Matter of Balance - Netherlands (AMB-NL, n = 540) and individual AMB - Home (n = 389) intervention. Marginal models were used to assess moderation. Analyses included single moderator and multiple moderator models containing multiple moderators at once. A total of 19 characteristics were assessed. Moderating effects were found for living situation, fall history, symptoms of depression, perceived general health, ADL disability, cognitive status, and consequences of falling-loss of independence subscale. Effects varied by intervention, time point, and type of model.

Medical advice for sick-reported students in a Dutch vocational school: a process evaluation.

Medical Advice for Sick-reported Students (MASS) is an intervention that aims to reduce medical absenteeism and prevent dropout among students. The current study reports on a process evaluation of the implementation of MASS at a vocational school in the Netherlands. The evaluation included the implementation process, fidelity, context, and participant satisfaction. The study had a qualitative case study design. Data was gathered through semi-structured interviews with relevant stakeholders, including a child and youth healthcare physician, MASS coordinators, career advisors, mentors, and students with concerning sickness absence. MASS was largely implemented as intended, but some deviations from the original intervention were found. For example, not all mentors identified concerning sickness absence through recommended criteria. A fit between the intervention and the values of the involved organizations was found. Facilitating contextual factors were identified, such as a perceived need for reducing school absence recognized within the care network, as well as hampering contextual factors, for example the limited visibility of students' absence during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants were generally satisfied with MASS and its implementation. Overall, MASS was implemented well according to interviewees, but several improvement points for both the implementation and execution of MASS were identified. These include full implementation across the setting, providing and repeating necessary trainings, minimizing administrative burden, and securing financial and human resources for sustainment of the intervention. These points could help to guide future implementation efforts, as they may help to overcome common barriers to implementation.

Medical Advice for Sick-reported Students (MASS) is an intervention that aims to reduce sickness absence and prevent dropout among students. The current study looked at how this intervention was put to practice at a vocational school in South Limburg, The Netherlands. For this, interviews were conducted with people from the vocational school and the Public Health Services (GGD) South Limburg who were involved in MASS, including a child and youth healthcare physician, MASS coordinators, students, career advisors, and mentors. These interviews showed that overall, MASS was used in practice as intended, it fitted well with the vocational school and the GGD, and most people involved were satisfied with the intervention and how it was put to practice. However, several improvement points for future use were identified as well. These improvement points can help improve MASS at the vocational school in The Netherlands, and could also be useful for other public health interventions.

Exploring Older Adults' Experiences of a Home-Based, Technology-Driven Balance Training Exercise Program Designed to Reduce Fall Risk: A Qualitative Research Study Within a Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: With an aging population, falls have become an increasing public health concern. While face-to-face exercise programs have demonstrated efficacy in reducing falls, their effectiveness is hampered by low participation and adherence. Digital technologies are a novel and potentially effective method for delivering tailored fall prevention exercise programs to older adults. In addition, they may increase the reach, uptake, and sustainability of fall prevention programs. Therefore, understanding older adults' experiences of using technology-driven methods is essential. This study explored the user experience of StandingTall , a home-based fall prevention program delivered through a tablet computer. METHODS: Fifty participants were recruited using purposive sampling, from a larger randomized controlled trial. Participants were selected to ensure maximum variability with respect to age, gender, experience with technology, and adherence to the program. Participants undertook a one-on-one structured interview. We followed an iterative approach to develop themes. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Eight themes were identified. These fall under 2 categories: user experience and program design. Participants found StandingTall enjoyable, and while its flexible delivery facilitated exercise, some participants found the technology challenging. Some participants expressed frustration with technological literacy, but most demonstrated an ability to overcome these challenges, and learn a new skill. Older adults who engaged in a technology-driven fall prevention program found it enjoyable, with the flexibility provided by the online delivery central to this experience. While the overall experience was positive, participants expressed mixed feelings about key design features. The embedded behavior change strategies were not considered motivating by most participants. Furthermore, some older adults associated the illustrated characters with gender-based stereotypes and negative views of aging, which can impact on motivation and preventive behavior. CONCLUSION: This study found digital technologies are an effective and enjoyable method for delivering a fall prevention program. This study highlights that older adults are interested in learning how to engage successfully with novel technologies.

Economic evaluation of the e-Health StandingTall balance exercise programme for fall prevention in people aged 70 years and over.

BACKGROUND: globally, falls and fall-related injuries are the leading cause of injury-related morbidity and mortality in older people. In our ageing society healthcare costs are increasing, therefore programmes that reduce falls and are considered value for money are needed. OBJECTIVE: to complete an economic evaluation of an e-Health balance exercise programme that reduced falls and injurious falls in community-dwelling older people compared to usual care from a health and community-care funder perspective. DESIGN: a within-trial economic evaluation of an assessor-blinded randomised controlled trial with 2 years of follow-up. SETTING: StandingTall was delivered via tablet-computer at home to older community-dwelling people in Sydney, Australia. PARTICIPANTS: five hundred and three individuals aged 70+ years who were independent in activities of daily living, without cognitive impairment, progressive neurological disease or any other unstable or acute medical condition precluding exercise. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: cost-effectiveness was measured as the incremental cost per fall and per injurious fall prevented. Cost-utility was measured as the incremental cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained. MAIN RESULTS: the total average cost per patient for programme delivery and care resource cost was $8,321 (standard deviation [SD] 18,958) for intervention participants and $6,829 (SD 15,019) for control participants. The incremental cost per fall prevented was $4,785 and per injurious fall prevented was $6,585. The incremental cost per QALY gained was $58,039 (EQ5D-5L) and $110,698 (AQoL-6D). CONCLUSION: this evaluation found that StandingTall has the potential to be cost-effective in specific subpopulations of older people, but not necessarily the whole older population. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ACTRN12615000138583.

Technologies to improve the participation of stroke patients in their home environment.

PURPOSE: To identify possible technological solutions that can contribute to stroke patients' participation at home. METHODS: In this qualitative case study, data on factors that negatively influenced participation at home were collected via semi-structured interviews with stroke patients (n = 6). Additionally, data on possible technologies to improve this participation were collected via a group interview with experts (n = 4). The domains "cognition, mobility, self-care, and getting along" (International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health) guided the data collection and interpretation; open, axial and selective coding was part of the analysis. RESULTS: Patients reported 21 factors negatively influencing participation at home, including psychological, cognitive, and physical factors. Experts suggested technological solutions regarding these factors to increase participation of stroke patients; digital assistants, apps, and virtual reality were frequently mentioned. To facilitate the use of these technologies, experts indicated the importance of involving patients in their design. They also suggested that rehabilitation specialists and family members could support the uptake and use of technologies. CONCLUSIONS: Various technologies were identified by experts as having the potential to improve the participation of stroke patients in their homes. Future research may study the influence of these technologies on the actual participation of stroke patients at home.Implications for rehabilitationThe identified technological solutions can support rehabilitation specialists in guiding stroke patients towards technologies that can support a patient's participation at home.Rehabilitation specialists can be champions in introducing, recommending and promoting technologies to stroke patients and their families, as well as in training them to use technologies.Virtual reality as a technology can be part of rehabilitation, not only to train stroke patients in daily life activities but also to increase empathy and understanding in caregivers and carers on stroke impairments.Rehabilitation specialists can recommend technologies integrated in daily life and presented as general consumer goods; stroke patients are more likely to adopt these kind of technologies.

Disentangling interventions to reduce fear of falling in community-dwelling older people: a systematic review and meta-analysis of intervention components.

PURPOSE: Fear of falling (FoF) is a common and debilitating problem for older people. Most multicomponent interventions show only moderate effects. Exploring the effective components may help in the optimization of treatments for FoF. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a systematic review of five scientific literature databases, we identified randomized controlled trials with older community-dwelling people that included FoF as an outcome. There was no restriction on types of interventions. Two reviewers extracted information about outcomes and content of interventions. Intervention content was coded with a coding scheme of 68 intervention components. We compared all studies with a component to those without using univariate meta-regressions. RESULTS: Sixty-six studies, reporting on 85 interventions, were included in the systematic review. In the meta-regressions (n = 49), few components were associated with intervention effects at the first available follow up after the intervention, but interventions with meditation, holistic exercises (such as Tai Chi or Pilates) or body awareness were significantly more effective than interventions without these components. Interventions with self-monitoring, balance exercises, or tailoring were less effective compared to those without these components. CONCLUSIONS: The identified components may be important for the design and optimization of treatments to reduce FoF. Implications for rehabilitationFear of falling (FoF) is a common and debilitating issue among older people and multicomponent interventions usually show only small to moderate effects on FoF.This review and meta-analysis investigated 68 intervention components and their relation to intervention effects on FoF.Interventions with meditation, holistic exercises (such as Tai Chi), or body awareness are more effective than interventions without these components.Clinicians aiming to reduce FoF may recommend selected interventions to older people taking into account the current knowledge of intervention components.

Effectiveness of a reablement training program on self-efficacy and outcome expectations regarding client activation in homecare staff: A cluster randomized controlled trial.

Training and supporting homecare staff in reablement aims to change staff behavior from "doing for" to "doing with" older adults, i.e., supporting client activation. We evaluated the effectiveness of the reablement training program "Stay Active at Home" (SAaH) on staff self-efficacy and outcome expectations regarding client activation in a cluster randomized controlled trial. Ten Dutch homecare nursing teams, comprising 135 nursing team members and 178 domestic workers, were randomized into the intervention group (SAaH) or control group (usual care). Data on self-efficacy and outcome expectations were collected at baseline, 6 and 12 months using scales developed for this study. Mixed-effects regression showed no differences between the study groups on either outcome. Therefore, widespread implementation of SAaH in its current form cannot be recommended. More research is needed on the development and psychometric properties of scales to assess staff behavior and behavioral determinants (e.g., self-efficacy and outcomes expectations) regarding client activation.

Assessing avoidance behavior due to concerns about falling: Psychometric properties of the FES-IAB in a sample of older adults of an online panel.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I) and its shorter version (Short FES-I) are widely used measures of concerns about falling (CaF) and have consistently demonstrated good psychometric properties. The FES-I Avoidance Behavior (FES-IAB) and Short FES-IAB were developed to gain insight into activity avoidance due to CaF and add a question to each item of the FES-I and Short FES-I. The objective was to assess the psychometric properties of the FES-IAB and Short FES-IAB in community-dwelling older people. METHODS: A community-dwelling sample of the Dutch population (n = 744) aged 60 and over completed the FES-IAB twice with one month in between (with a follow-up response rate of 92.2%). RESULTS: Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the unidimensionality of the FES-IAB, with high factor loadings and very good fit. The scale correlated strongly with the FES-I, and moderately with ADL disability and 1-item questions of activity avoidance and CaF. The FES-IAB discriminated well between groups based on age, sex, fall history. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability were high (Cronbach's alpha: 0.92, intraclass correlation coefficient: 0.85). FES-IAB scores were positively skewed; 343 people (46.1%) had the lowest possible score of 16. The psychometric properties of the Short FES-IAB were comparable. No problems were identified with the feasibility of the FES-IAB and Short FES-IAB. DISCUSSION: Overall, the FES-IAB and Short FES-IAB demonstrated good psychometric properties in assessing activity avoidance due to CaF in community-dwelling older people. These instruments may help researchers and clinicians to investigate the behavioral consequences of CaF.

Effectiveness of a reablement training program for homecare staff on older adults' sedentary behavior: A cluster randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Homecare staff often take over activities instead of "doing activities with" clients, thereby hampering clients from remaining active in daily life. Training and supporting staff to integrate reablement into their working practices may reduce clients' sedentary behavior and improve their independence. This study evaluated the effectiveness of the "Stay Active at Home" (SAaH) reablement training program for homecare staff on older homecare clients' sedentary behavior. DESIGN: Cluster randomized controlled trial (c-RCT). SETTING: Dutch homecare (10 nursing teams comprising a total of 313 staff members). PARTICIPANTS: 264 clients (aged ≥65 years). INTERVENTION: SAaH seeks to equip staff with knowledge, attitude, and skills on reablement, and to provide social and organizational support to implement reablement in homecare practice. SAaH consists of program meetings, practical assignments, and weekly newsletters over a 9-month period. The control group received no additional training and delivered care as usual. MEASUREMENTS: Sedentary behavior (primary outcome) was measured using tri-axial wrist-worn accelerometers. Secondary outcomes included daily functioning (GARS), physical functioning (SPPB), psychological functioning (PHQ-9), and falls. Data were collected at baseline and at 12 months; data on falls were also collected at 6 months. Intention-to-treat analyses using mixed-effects linear and logistic regression were performed. RESULTS: We found no statistically significant differences between the study groups for sedentary time expressed as daily minutes (adjusted mean difference: ß 18.5 (95% confidence interval [CI] -22.4, 59.3), p = 0.374) and as proportion of wake/wear time (ß 0.6 [95% CI -1.5, 2.6], p = 0.589) or for most secondary outcomes. CONCLUSION: Our c-RCT showed no evidence for the effectiveness of SAaH for all client outcomes. Refining SAaH, by adding components that intervene directly on homecare clients, may optimize the program and require further research. Additional research should explore the effectiveness of SAaH on behavioral determinants of clients and staff and cost-effectiveness.

E-health StandingTall balance exercise for fall prevention in older people: results of a two year randomised controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To test whether StandingTall, a home based, e-health balance exercise programme delivered through an app, could provide an effective, self-managed fall prevention programme for community dwelling older people. DESIGN: Assessor blinded, randomised controlled trial. SETTING: Older people living independently in the community in Sydney, Australia. PARTICIPANTS: 503 people aged 70 years and older who were independent in activities of daily living, without cognitive impairment, progressive neurological disease, or any other unstable or acute medical condition precluding exercise. INTERVENTIONS: Participants were block randomised to an intervention group (two hours of StandingTall per week and health education; n=254) or a control group (health education; n=249) for two years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcomes were the rate of falls (number of falls per person year) and the proportion of people who had a fall over 12 months. Secondary outcomes were the number of people who had a fall and the number who had an injurious fall (resulting in any injury or requiring medical care), adherence, mood, health related quality of life, and activity levels over 24 months; and balance and mobility outcomes over 12 months. RESULTS: The fall rates were not statistically different in the two groups after the first 12 months (0.60 falls per year (standard deviation 1.05) in the intervention group; 0.76 (1.25) in the control group; incidence rate ratio 0.84, 95% confidence interval 0.62 to 1.13, P=0.071). Additionally, the proportion of people who fell was not statistically different at 12 months (34.6% in intervention group, 40.2% in control group; relative risk 0.90, 95% confidence interval 0.67 to 1.20, P=0.461). However, the intervention group had a 16% lower rate of falls over 24 months compared with the control group (incidence rate ratio 0.84, 95% confidence interval 0.72 to 0.98, P=0.027). Both groups had a similar proportion of people who fell over 24 months (relative risk 0.87, 95% confidence interval 0.68 to 1.10, P=0.239), but the proportion of people who had an injurious fall over 24 months was 20% lower in the intervention group compared with the control group (relative risk 0.80, 95% confidence interval 0.66 to 0.98, P=0.031). In the intervention group, 68.1% and 52.0% of participants exercised for a median of 114.0 min/week (interquartile range 53.5) after 12 months and 120.4 min/week (38.6) after 24 months, respectively. Groups remained similar in mood and activity levels. The intervention group had a 0.03 (95% confidence interval 0.01 to 0.06) improvement on the EQ-5D-5L (EuroQol five dimension five level) utility score at six months, and an improvement in standing balance of 11 s (95% confidence interval 2 to 19 s) at six months and 10 s (1 to 19 s) at 12 months. No serious training related adverse events occurred. CONCLUSIONS: The StandingTall balance exercise programme did not significantly affect the primary outcomes of this study. However, the programme significantly reduced the rate of falls and the number of injurious falls over two years, with similar but not statistically significant effects at 12 months. E-health exercise programmes could provide promising scalable fall prevention strategies. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ACTRN12615000138583.

Psychometric properties of the client activation self-efficacy and outcome expectation scales for nurses (CA-SE-n and CA-OE-n) and domestic support workers (CA-SE-d and CA-OE-d): A cross-sectional study.

Self-efficacy and outcome expectations regarding client activation determine professionals' level of actively engaging clients during daily activities. The Client Activation Self-Efficacy and Outcome Expectation Scales for nurses and domestic support workers (DSWs) were developed to measure these concepts. This study aimed to assess their psychometric properties. Cross-sectional data from a sample of Dutch nurses (n=150) and DSWs (n=155) were analysed. Descriptive statistics were used to examine floor and ceiling effects. Construct validity was assessed by testing research-based hypotheses. Internal consistency was determined with Cronbach's alpha. The scales for nurses showed a ceiling effect. There were no floor or ceiling effects in the scales for domestic support workers. Three out of five hypotheses could be confirmed (construct validity). For all scales, Cronbach's alpha coefficients exceeded 0.70. In conclusion, all scales had moderate construct validity and high internal consistency. Further research is needed concerning their construct validity, test-retest reliability and sensitivity to change.

Process evaluation of a reablement training program for homecare staff to encourage independence in community-dwelling older adults.

BACKGROUND: Many community-dwelling older adults experience limitations in (instrumental) activities of daily living, resulting in the need for homecare services. Whereas services should ideally aim at maintaining independence, homecare staff often take over activities, thereby undermining older adults' self-care skills and jeopardizing their ability to continue living at home. Reablement is an innovative care approach aimed at optimizing independence. The reablement training program 'Stay Active at Home' for homecare staff was designed to support the implementation of reablement in the delivery of homecare services. This study evaluated the implementation, mechanisms of impact and context of the program. METHODS: We conducted a process evaluation alongside a 12-month cluster randomized controlled trial, using an embedded mixed-methods design. One hundred fifty-four homecare staff members (23 nurses, 34 nurse assistants, 8 nurse aides and 89 domestic workers) from five working areas received the program. Data on the implementation (reach, dose, fidelity, adaptations and acceptability), possible mechanisms of impact (homecare staff's knowledge, attitude, skills and support) and context were collected using logbooks, registration forms, checklists, log data and focus group interviews with homecare staff (n = 23) and program trainers (n = 4). RESULTS: The program was largely implemented as intended. Homecare staff's average compliance to the program meetings was 73.4%; staff members accepted the program, and particularly valued its practical elements and team approach. They experienced positive changes in their knowledge, attitude and skills about reablement, and perceived social and organizational support from colleagues and team managers to implement reablement. However, the extent to which homecare staff implemented reablement in practice, varied. Perceived facilitators included digital care plans, the organization's lump sum funding and newly referred clients. Perceived barriers included resistance to change from clients or their social network, complex care situations, time pressure and staff shortages. CONCLUSIONS: The program was feasible to implement in the Dutch homecare setting, and was perceived as useful in daily practice. Nevertheless, integrating reablement into homecare staff's working practices remained challenging due to various personal and contextual factors. Future implementation of the program may benefit from minor program adaptations and a more stimulating work environment. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier NCT03293303 ). Registered 26 September 2017.

Economic Evaluation of a Reablement Training Program for Homecare Staff Targeting Sedentary Behavior in Community-Dwelling Older Adults Compared to Usual Care: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial.

PURPOSE: Training and supporting homecare staff in reablement aims to change staff behavior from "doing for" to "doing with" older adults and is assumed to benefit the health and quality of life of older adults and reduce healthcare utilization and costs. This study evaluated the cost-effectiveness and cost-utility of the staff reablement training program "Stay Active at Home" (SAaH) from a societal perspective. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: An economic evaluation was embedded in a 12-month cluster randomized controlled trial. Ten Dutch homecare nursing teams participated (n = 313 staff members), of which five teams were trained in reablement and the other five provided usual care. Cost and effect data were collected from 264 older adults at baseline, 6 and 12 months. Costs included "intervention," "healthcare," and "patient and family" costs (collectively, societal costs) and were assessed using questionnaires and client records or estimated by bottom-up micro-costing. Effects included sedentary behavior and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). Multiple imputed bootstrapped data were used to generate cost-effectiveness planes and acceptability curves. RESULTS: No statistically significant differences were observed between the intervention and control group in terms of sedentary time (adjusted mean difference: 4.8 minutes [95% CI -26.4, 36.0]), QALYs ( 0.01 [95% CI -0.03, 0.04]), and societal costs ( €2216 [95% CI -459, 4895]), except lower costs for domestic help in the intervention group ( €-173 [95% CI -299, -50]). The probability that SAaH was cost-effective compared to usual care ranged from 7.1% to 19.9%, depending on the willingness-to-pay (WTP) (€0‒€50,000)/minute of sedentary time averted and was 5.9% at a WTP of €20,000/QALY gained. CONCLUSION: SAaH did not improve outcomes or reduce costs and was not cost-effective from a societal perspective compared to usual care in Dutch older adults receiving homecare. Consequently, there is insufficient evidence to justify widespread implementation of the training program in its current form. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03293303.

Intervention Characteristics Associated With a Reduction in Fear of Falling Among Community-Dwelling Older People: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Fear of falling (FoF) is associated with decreased physical functioning and an increased fall risk. Interventions generally demonstrate moderate effects and optimized interventions are needed. Intervention characteristics, such as setting or delivery method may vary. We investigated which overarching intervention characteristics are associated with a reduction in FoF in community-dwelling older people. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in community-dwelling older people without specific diseases was performed. Associations between intervention characteristics and standardized mean differences (SMD) were determined by univariate meta-regression. Sensitivity analyses were performed. RESULTS: Data on 62 RCTs were extracted, 50 intervention groups were included in the meta-analysis. Most intervention characteristics and intervention types were not associated with the intervention effect. Supervision by a tai chi instructor (SMD: -1.047, 95% confidence interval [CI]: -1.598; -0.496) and delivery in a community setting (SMD: -0.528, 95% CI: -0.894; -0.161) were-compared to interventions without these characteristics-associated with a greater reduction in FoF. Holistic exercise, such as Pilates or yoga (SMD: -0.823, 95% CI: -1.255; -0.392), was also associated with a greater reduction in FoF. Delivery at home (SMD: 0.384, 95% CI: 0.002; 0.766) or with written materials (SMD: 0.452, 95% CI: 0.088; 0.815) and tailoring were less effective in reducing FoF (SMD: 0.687, 95% CI: 0.364; 1.011). DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Holistic exercise, delivery with written materials, the setting and tailoring potentially represent characteristics to take into account when designing and improving interventions for FoF in community-dwelling older people. PROSPERO international prospective register of systematic reviews, registration ID CRD42018080483.

Predictive Factors of Fall-Related Activity Avoidance in People With Parkinson Disease-A Longitudinal Study With a 3-Year Follow-up.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Knowledge of predictive factors can foster the development of preventive approaches. This study examined how prevalence and severity of fall-related activity avoidance evolve over a 3-year period in people with Parkinson disease (PD). A specific aim was to identify predictive factors of fall-related activity avoidance (ie, modified Survey of Activities and Fear of Falling in the Elderly [mSAFFE] scores) after 3 years. METHODS: The sample included 151 people with PD (mean [SD] age: 68 [8.8] years). The mSAFFE score was the dependent variable in multivariable linear regression analyses, with 17 potential predictors. On the basis of a collinearity check, 2 models studying various risk factors were developed. Model 1 included concerns about falling and model 2 walking difficulties. RESULTS: After 3 years, more participants reported fall-related activity avoidance, that is, 34% versus 50% (P < 0.001). Regression model 1 explained 63% of the variance. The strongest predictive factor was concerns about falling (standardized regression coefficient, ß = 0.589), followed by pain (ß = 0.161), unsteadiness while turning (ß = 0.137), and age (ß = 0.136). These variables remained significant when adjusting for mSAFFE baseline scores.In model 2 (explained 50% of the variance), the strongest predictive factor was perceived walking difficulties (ß = 0.392), followed by age (ß = 0.238), unsteadiness while turning (ß = 0.198), and pain (ß = 0.184). Unlike the other factors, walking difficulties were not significant when adjusting for mSAFFE baseline scores. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Fall-related activity avoidance increased over time in people with PD. If fall-related activity avoidance is to be targeted, this study suggests that interventions should address concerns about falling, pain, unsteadiness while turning, and walking difficulties.Video Abstract available for more insights from the authors (see Video, Supplemental Digital Content 1, http://links.lww.com/JNPT/A310).

Experiences of home-care workers with the 'Stay Active at Home' programme targeting reablement of community-living older adults: An exploratory study.

To face the challenges of an ageing population, many Western countries nowadays stimulate an ageing in place policy to empower older adults to grow old in their own homes with the highest degree of self-reliance. However, many community-living older adults experience limitations in (instrumental) activities of daily living ((I)ADLs), which may result in a need for home-care services. Unfortunately, home-care workers often provide support by taking over tasks, as they are used to doing things for older adults rather than with them, which undermines their possibilities to maintain their self-care capabilities. In contrast, reablement focuses on capabilities and opportunities of older adults, rather than on disease and dependency. Consequently, older adults are stimulated to be as active as possible during daily and physical activities. The 'Stay Active at Home' programme was designed to train home-care workers to apply reablement in practice. To explore the experiences of home-care workers with this programme an exploratory study was conducting in the Netherlands, between April and July, 2017. In total, 20 participants were interviewed: nine nurses (including a district nurse), 10 domestic support workers and the manager of the domestic support workers. The semi-structured interviews focused on the experienced improvements with regard to knowledge, skills, self-efficacy and social support. Furthermore, the most and least appreciated programme components were identified. The study has shown that home-care workers perceived the programme as useful to apply reablement. However, they also need more support with mastering particular skills and dealing with challenging situations. Future implementation of the 'Stay Active at Home' programme can potentially benefit from small adaptions. Furthermore, future research is needed to examine whether the programme leads to more (cost-) effective home care.

Economic evaluation of a home-based programme to reduce concerns about falls in frail, independently-living older people.

Background: Concerns about falls, or fear of falling, are frequently reported by older people and can have serious consequences. Aim of this study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of a home-based, cognitive behavioral programme for independently-living, frail older people in comparison with usual care from a societal perspective. Methods: This economic evaluation was embedded in a randomized-controlled trial with a follow-up of 12-months. In the trial 389 people aged 70 years or older were allocated to usual care (n = 195) or the intervention group (n = 194). The intervention group received a home-based, cognitive behavioral programme. Main outcome measures were concerns about falls and Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALYs). Results: Average total costs per participant in the usual care group were 8,094 Euros and 7,890 Euros for participants in the intervention group. The intervention group showed a significant decrease in concerns about falls and a non-significant increase in QALYS in comparison with the usual care group. The probability that the intervention was cost-effective was 75% at a willingness to pay of 20,000 Euros per QALY. Discussion: The programme is likely to be cost-effective, and therefore a useful addition to current geriatric care, particularly for those persons who are not able or willing to attend group programmes. Trial registration: NCT01358032.

Meanings of Care Convoys: The Structure, Function, and Adequacy of Care Networks Among Frail, Community-Dwelling Older Adults.

Researchers propose that the convoy of care model should be used to study care networks of frail, older individuals. Care convoys are defined as the evolving collection of individuals who may or may not have close personal connections to the recipient or to one another, but who provide care, including help with activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), socio-emotional care, skilled health care, monitoring, and advocacy. This study reports on community-dwelling older adults' experiences of their care convoy, how care convoys change over time, and perceived (positive) outcomes. A qualitative analysis among 65 semi-structured interviews with frail, community-dwelling older adults demonstrates a great variety in the composition of care convoys. Participants were often actively involved in their care convoy and valued the social/relational aspect of care. Care and support covered a wide range of activities, with some activities being provided by specific types of caregivers. Participants expressed the adequacy of their care convoy in terms of satisfaction and sufficiency. Noteworthy, participants who were satisfied with their care convoy did not necessarily receive sufficient help. Policies and practice should recognize the relational aspect of care, the complex interplay between all actors, and the dynamic character of care convoys.