Targeting the Hip Abductors to Reduce Falls in Older Veterans Through A Virtual Multimodal Balance Intervention

Description

Falls are a major health concern and a leading cause of injurious death and non-fatal injuries in older Veterans who are at greater risk for falls than non-Veterans. This in-person exercise intervention targeting changes in the hip muscles, known to play a major role in balance, has been effective at reducing falls in older Veterans. Gerofit is a VA best practice health promotion program that demonstrates good success in engaging Veterans in exercise. However, the role of Gerofit in fall prevention is unknown. Some Veterans may require additional training prior to participation in Gerofit to maximize the benefits of Gerofit. The proposed intervention will use novel home-based methods of exercise to improve hip muscles prior to participating in Gerofit. The goal of this study is to evaluate if a live virtual home-based multimodal balance intervention done prior to Gerofit compared to Gerofit alone will have a greater benefit on fall risk reduction and improved muscle and mobility function.

Interventions

• Mulit-modality Balance Intervention (Other)
  Participants will attend a virtual group balance class that focuses on movement and obstacle negotiation 3 times per week for 3-months
• Gerofit (Other)
  Participation in a virtual wellness program that consists of a warm up, aerobic training, and general strength training 3-times per week for up to 12 months

Eligibility criteria

Conditions

Locations

• Baltimore VA Medical Center VA Maryland Health Care System, Baltimore, MD — Baltimore, Maryland, United States