COX, TERESA B., Ed.D. Fall Recovery Intervention and its Effect on Fear of Falling in Older Adults. (2014)

Fear of falling leads to activity restriction in the older adult population. Activity restriction leads to muscle deconditioning and a greater propensity to suffer a fall. Fear of falling may occur in older adults, regardless of their history of falls. The purpose of this study was to measure and compare the effects of a fall education program and a floor-rise training intervention on fear of falling scores, using the Survey of Fear of Falling in the Elderly fear of falling tool (SAFFE, Lachman, et al., 1998). Lachman et al. (1998) developed the Survey of Activities and Fear of Falling in the Elderly (SAFFE) to ascertain the level of FOF associated with activities of daily living (ADLs) and/or instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs). ADLs include such tasks as feeding, toileting, selecting proper attire, grooming, maintaining continence, bathing, walking and transferring (CDC, 2013). IADLs include managing finances, handling transportation (driving or navigating public transit), shopping, preparing meals, using the telephone or some other communication device, managing medications, and housework (CDC, 2013). The SAFFE targets items consistent with previous research findings and FOF in the older adult population. The SAFFE survey tool assesses 11 activities associated with daily life maintenance, including going to the store, preparing meals, taking a tub bath, visiting friends or relatives, reaching overhead and to the floor, going out in slippery conditions, as well as getting out of bed, going to crowded places, exercising daily, and walking outdoors. It is a reliable and valid tool; its psychometri