Usability And Acceptability Of The Strong Foundations Fall And Fracture Prevention Program In Older Adults

Fall-risk reduction programs targeting improvements in muscular strength, postural control, and static and dynamic balance have consistently been shown to reduce fall risk. As such, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has outlined an evidenced-based clinical approach to identify those at risk for falls and to refer community-based fall-prevention programs. Our unique fall prevention program, Strong Foundations, is designed to be delivered digitally with the expectation that this will reduce barriers associated with exercise in older adults. While other programs exist both in the digital format and in-person, the novel feature of this program is the delivery of semi-individualized instruction in real time within a group setting. PURPOSE: To explore the usability and acceptability of the Strong Foundations program in older adults. METHODS: 76 adults over the age of 65 were recruited. After completing the 12 week Strong Foundations digital exercise intervention, participants completed the System Usability Scale (SUS), a commonly used measurement tool to assess the usability of a digital technology or novel platforms, as well as several questionnaires about their subjective experience with the digital format. RESULTS: Participants were 90% female with a mean (SD) age at baseline of 72(6) years. 6 (8%) dropped prior to the completion of the program, with the remaining 92% showing a mean (SD) attendance rate of 9.6 (2.9) classes. Completing participants reported a SUS score of 80.8 (14.6) with only 12 (17%) following below the minimal acceptable threshold of 70. Overall satisfaction was 8.7 (1.4) out of 10 with 61 (87%) scoring 8 or higher. - Mean Standard Deviation n (5%) responded 5 I felt that I could hear the instructor 4.44 0.673 37 (52.9) I felt that I could see the instructor 4.04 0.924 23 (32.9) I felt the instructions were clear 4.43 0.734 37 (52.9) I felt safe doing the exercises 4.59 0.551 43 (61.4) I felt like I was being watched during the exercises 4.11 0.772 22 (31.4) I felt like the feedback I received was valuable 4.23 0.685 26 (37.1) I felt like the exercises were at the appropriate skill level for me 4.03 0.798 19 (27.1) I felt like the at-home exercises were helpful 4.33 0.793 33 (47.1) All measured on a Likert Scale anchored by 1 = Strongly Disagree and 5 = Strongly Agree CONCLUSION: The Strong Foundations digitally delivered fall prevention program has a high degree of acceptability within an older adult demographic who also appear to enjoy the digital format. National Institutes of Health, Grant UL1TR001442