Category of intervention a | Single interventions within category b |
Exercise | Gait, balance, coordination, and functional training; strength/resistance exercises; flexibility exercises; 3D training (e.g., Tai Chi, dance, yoga); general physical activity; endurance training; others (e.g., exergame, aquatic); mixed exercises (i.e., 2 or more exercise components) |
Medication (drug provision) | Vitamin D (+/−calcium) supplementation; sunlight interventions; excluding calcium alone, anti-osteoporosis medications or others used for specific conditions where fall prevention is secondary aim (e.g., diabetes medication, urinary antispasmodics) |
Medication (review & modification) | Medication withdrawal, dose reduction or increase, substitution (may be delivered directly to patient or focus on provider education) |
Nutrition therapy | Dietary counselling; excluding single dietary supplements and fluid therapy |
Psychological | Cognitive (behavioral) interventions |
Environment/Assistive Technology (furnishings and adaptations to homes and other premises/direct action) | Relocation, entrances, flooring, lighting, installation of grab bars in bathrooms, handrails for stairs, others |
Environment/Assistive Technology (aids for personal mobility and protection) | Walking aids, clothes, orthotics, or anti-slip devices for shoes; excluding protective aids to reduce fractures from falls (e.g., hip protectors) and comprehensive podiatry assessment |
Environment/Assistive Technology (aids for communication and signaling) | Alarm systems to prevent falls; excluding alarms to signal a fall, hearing aids, or optical aids unless part of a multiple component intervention |
Environment/Assistive Technology (aids for communication and signaling) | Vision assessment and treatment |
Knowledge/education interventions | Written material, videos, and lectures about reducing falls; excluding pamphlets |
Category of intervention add-on strategy b | Interventions within category |
Social environment (clinic quality improvement) | Staff ratio, staff training, service model change, clinician reminders, audit and feedback, case management, referral (not for falls risk assessment or interventions which is captured by delivery variable); training and education to deliver the main interventions will not be counted (e.g., training of staff to deliver CBT or medication review) |
Social environment (patient quality improvement) | Telephone support or reminders about appointments or aspects of care, caregiver training, homecare services, promotion of self-management (e.g., goal setting, action planning) |
Control groups c | Examples |
Usual care (UC) | May include wait-list control, placebo (for vitamin D interventions), or session or pamphlet on general health or active living; excluding studies where UC involves assessments (e.g., comprehensive geriatric) or interventions (potentially reducing falls) that are provided to all participants and not considered UC for the general community-dwelling population ≥ 65 years of aged |
Non- or minimally active intervention (information) | UC as well as basic assessment related to falls risk factors without follow-up; brief pamphlet on falls risk or session on gentle exercises |
Non- or minimally active intervention (social engagement) | UC as well as social visits/engagement, including group sessions |