Citation

Mansdorf IJ, Sharma R, Perez M, Lepore AM. J. Am. Med. Dir. Assoc. 2009; 10(9): 630-633.

Affiliation

Park Avenue Medical Associates, White Plains, NY, USA. imansdorf@gmail.com

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1016/j.jamda.2009.06.005

PMID

19883885

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To investigate an Internet-based psychological intervention targeting behavioral factors related to falls among residents of long-term care communities. DESIGN: Retrospective A-B design with 90-day look-back. SETTING: Long-term care communities in New York State (N=4, 3 SNF, 1 ALF). PARTICIPANTS: Nursing home residents (N=26). INTERVENTION: Internet-based programmed learning system using cognitive- and behavioral-based techniques. MEASUREMENTS: Direct measures of documented falls in the medical record, perceived risk and burden scales, Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I), Attitudes to Falls-Related Interventions Scale (AFRIS). RESULTS: Reductions in documented falls by 52% along with substantial reductions in staff ratings of risk and burden. CONCLUSION: Behavioral treatment of risk factors related to falls within a structured delivery using Internet-based intervention may be an effective and efficient mechanism for treating fall risk in long-term care settings.

Language: en