Abstract
The Stay On Your Feet Seniors Falls Prevention Program targets individuals over the age of 60. It has gained international influence and popularity over the years due to its proven effectiveness, sustainability, and wide reach. Stay On Your Feet employs a multifaceted approach involving a wide array of health professionals and community members and includes the active involvement of seniors in both implementation and planning. Its implementation strategies include awareness raising, community education, policy development, home hazard reduction, media campaigns, and working with health professionals—all aimed at using local knowledge, leadership and expertise, fostering community ownership and input into solutions, and sustainability. Stay On Your Feet’s positive health message aims to educate seniors about how falls are preventable, not just an inevitable part of aging.
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Notes
- 1.
The funds presented in this paragraph are all measured in United States Dollars.
- 2.
In so doing, the role of public health units in organizing and maintaining the program beyond its original funding was essential (Corlett & Warren, 2006; H. Gagné, personal communication, n.d.).
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Acknowledgments
The author would like to express sincere appreciation to the key informants for this case study: Eric van Beurden of the Health Promotion Team, Population Health Planning & Performance Management Division North-Coast Area Health Service in Lismore, NSW, Australia; Suzanne Mitten-Lewis of the Stay on Your Feet Community Falls Prevention, Northern Sydney Health Promotion in NSW, Australia; Helen Kale of Stay on Your Feet Community Falls Prevention, Northern Sydney Central Coast Health in NSW, Australia; Karina Moore of the Health Network Branch in Subiaco, WA, Australia; Joanne Dollard of the University of Adelaide in Adelaide, Australia; Barry Hislop of the Accident Compensation Corporation in Wellington, New Zealand; Marguerite Thomas of the Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation in Brussels, ON, Canada; Hélène Gagné of the Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation in Toronto, ON, Canada; Helen Anderson of Warrington Primary Care Trust in Birchwood, Warrington, England; Karen Arding of Community Care Services in Wokingham, England; and Sara Owen of the National Health Service Hampshire in Scotney, Hampshire, England—whose consultation made this project possible.
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Appendices
BRIO Model: Stay On Your Feet
Group Served: noninstitutionalized, elderly people (60 years and older) in the community.
Goal: to reduce the incidence and injury from falls in elderly people.
Background | Resources | Implementation | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
Falls are a major cause of unintentional injury and death among people aged 65 years and over. Previous studies were inadequate to evaluate community programs for fall prevention. Objectives of this program included utilizing local knowledge, leadership, and expertise; fostering community ownership of the problem and input into solutions; allowing for a mix of strategies; and, providing for future sustainability. | The total cost of the first 5 years of the Stay on Your Feet program was $678,703, which included a $137,000 external funding grant. Additional costs also were incurred by community networks such as government agencies, health promotion agencies, medical organizations, and nongovernment organizations focused on seniors. Second phase of the program was funded by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council. | Phases of implementation included awareness raising, information dissemination, policy development, home safety measures, and the involvement of health professionals. Evaluations included formative, process, outcome, and sustainability assessments. | Fall-related hospitalizations decreased by 20%. The intervention produced a 34% increase in the odds of respondents considering fall preventable and a 31% increase in respondents considering that they were at a moderate or high risk of experiencing fall. Program had a wide reach, and 52.4% of the respondents had seen, read, or heard about fall prevention. |
Life Space Model: Stay On Your Feet
Sociocultural : civilization/community | Interpersonal: primary and secondary relationships | Physical environments: where we live | Internal states: biochemical/genetic and means of coping |
|---|---|---|---|
Raising awareness that falls are preventable and not a natural part of aging. Use of community health services to deliver prevention messages. Policy development of fall prevention in public places Multifaceted approach that included general practitioners, community health nurses, podiatrists, occupational therapists, exercise trainers, local businesses, and the government. | Healthcare provider/patient relationships through the inclusion of a broad base of community health systems. Peer relationships through the active involvement of older individuals in leadership roles and as volunteers. | Safety audits of home and public areas. Participation of stores to present fall prevention displays and stock preventative devices (such as antislip tile and hand bars). | Empowerment of individuals through the inclusion of seniors in the planning and implementation of the program. |
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Shapiro, G.K. (2020). The Stay On Your Feet (SOYF) New South Wales Program. In: Volpe, R. (eds) Casebook of Traumatic Injury Prevention. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-27419-1_15
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