Title
Integrated Exposure Therapy and Exercise Reduces Fear of Falling and Avoidance in Older Adults: A Randomized Pilot Study
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
8-2018
Publication Title
American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry
ISSN
1545-7214
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the safety and acceptability of a novel 8-week intervention integrating exercise, exposure therapy, cognitive restructuring, and a home safety evaluation, conducted by a physical therapist, in reducing fear of falling and activity avoidance. To collect preliminary evidence of efficacy.
DESIGN: Randomized pilot study comparing the intervention to time- and attention-equivalent fall prevention education.
SETTING: Participants' homes.
PARTICIPANTS: 42 older adults with disproportionate fear of falling (high fear, low to moderate objective fall risk).
MEASUREMENTS: Falls Efficacy Scale-International, modified Activity Card Sort, satisfaction, falls.
RESULTS: Relative to education, the intervention reduced fear of falling (d = 1.23) and activity avoidance (d = 1.02) at 8 weeks, but effects eroded over a 6-month follow-up period. The intervention did not increase falls, and participants rated the exercise, exposure therapy, and non-specific elements as most helpful.
CONCLUSIONS: An integration of exercise and exposure therapy may help older adults with disproportionate fear of falling, but modifications to the intervention or its duration may be needed to maintain participants' gains.
Volume
26
Issue
8
First Page
849
Last Page
859
Recommended Citation
Wetherell J, Bower E, Johnson K, Chang D, Ward S, Petkus A. Integrated Exposure Therapy and Exercise Reduces Fear of Falling and Avoidance in Older Adults: A Randomized Pilot Study. American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. 2018; 26(8):849-859.
Comments
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jagp.2018.04.001
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.