TY  - JOUR
AU  - Patton, Susan Kane
AU  - Vincenzo, Jennifer
AU  - Bennett, Holly B.
AU  - Gray, Michelle
AU  - Henry, Leah Jean
AU  - Ferguson, Alishia
AU  - Dibrezzo, Ro
AU  - Walter, Christopher S.
AU  - Kelly, Maryalice
PY  - 2019
DA  - 2019/10/29
TI  - Qualitative Evaluation of Interdisciplinary Service Learning Experience to Assess and Manage Fall Risk in Community-Dwelling Older Adults
JO  - OBM Geriatrics
SP  - 084
VL  - 03
IS  - 04
AB  - Aim: The purpose of this study was to evaluate faculty and student perceptions of a fall risk assessment and prevention activity for older adults offered in multiple community settings by health professional faculty and students.
Background: In the US, the percentage of adults 65 and older who fell was more than 29% in 2018. Among states, Arkansas ranks 48th with 35.2% of older adults reporting a fall (CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2018).
Methods: Four senior centers in Northwest Arkansas hosted a fall prevention awareness day planned and implemented by faculty in the departments of nursing, public health, physical therapy, exercise science, dietary, and social work in two universities. Materials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Stopping Elderly Accidents Deaths and Injuries (STEADI) initiative were used to train students as part of a service learning (SL) opportunity. The objectives of the interprofessional SL project were to (1) Improve student understanding of and satisfaction with interdisciplinary learning, (2) Increase the number of older adults assessed for fall risk, and (3) provide personalized fall prevention interventions. Students completed fall screenings, risk assessments, and referrals on 49 older adults in the four senior activity and wellness centers. This manuscript reports on the results of the qualitative study in which we surveyed faculty and students to determine their experience with the intervention and obtain their recommendations for improvement. Data were generated from faculty observations (n=6) and surveys completed by students (n=14) and analyzed using qualitative content analysis.
Results: Three themes describe the learning experience: learning fall prevention skills, organizing the fall prevention day, and engaging older adults in the community.
Conclusions: Based on our experience, an interprofessional education (IPE) activity focused on fall prevention in older adults is feasible. We recommend planning for the event far enough in advance that the experience can be included in the curriculum for students in the various disciplines. We also recommend that students be actively involved in the planning and implementation of the event.
SN  - 2638-1311
UR  - https://doi.org/10.21926/obm.geriatr.1904084
DO  - 10.21926/obm.geriatr.1904084
ID  - Patton2019
ER  -