Falls Prevention for Visually Impaired Older People

Blind Veterans UK

Status: Unknown

Conditions: Accidental Fall; Visual Impairment; Fall

Treatments: Other: Home exercise programme; Other: 5 day falls prevention training; Other: Environmental Assessment

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04078529

FPIS0.1

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study aims to examine the effectiveness of an intensive five day falls prevention training programme with a home evaluation and a home exercise programme, compared with a home evaluation and exercise programme alone for reducing incidence of falls and fear of falling, and improving confidence in functional ability and objective balance.

Full description

While previous research shows a clear link between visual impairment and increased risk and incidence of falls, as well as fear of falling, there is little research to investigate the effectiveness of falls prevention programmes for visually impaired populations. At the time of writing there were no studies identified that used this type of intensive training over a period of several days, rather most of the studies that exist have been conducted in community settings.

This study will aim to compare the effectiveness of a comprehensive exercise programme aimed at improving balance, walking technique, postural control and ability to complete functional tasks, with a home exercise programme with either written or audio instructions.

Enrollment: 32 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 65+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Participant is able to mobilise with or without walking aids or hand-hold
• Participant has history of falls
• Any possible medical or pharmaceutical causes of falls have been investigated and excluded
• Participant has a diagnosed visual impairment
• Participant is aged 65 or over
• Participant's falls can not be attributed purely to their visual impairment
• Participant is a member of Blind Veterans UK
• Participant is physically able to take part in group and individual exercise sessions
• Participant is able to understand and follow verbal and/or written instructions

Exclusion criteria

• Participant is under 65 years of age
• Participant is medically unwell or has a medical condition for which exercise is contraindicated
• Participant is currently involved in other falls prevention programmes
• Participant is predominantly a wheelchair user
• Participant is unable to understand or follow instruction from staff in English

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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32 participants in 2 patient groups

Intervention group

Experimental group

Description:

This group will complete a 5 day falls prevention training programme, followed by a 12 week home exercise programme, then a repeat 5 day training intervention.

Treatment:

Other: 5 day falls prevention training

Other: Environmental Assessment

Other: Home exercise programme

Comparison group[

Active Comparator group

Description:

This group will complete the home exercise programme only.

Treatment:

Other: Environmental Assessment

Other: Home exercise programme