A Student-Led Telehealth Group Falls Prevention Exercise Program for Older Adults in a Rural Community: A Pilot Study.
Uložené v:
| Názov: | A Student-Led Telehealth Group Falls Prevention Exercise Program for Older Adults in a Rural Community: A Pilot Study. |
|---|---|
| Autori: | O'Connell C; Southern Queensland Rural Health, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia., Woodruffe S; Southern Queensland Rural Health, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia., Middleton K; Southern Queensland Rural Health, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia., Fallon AB; Southern Queensland Rural Health, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia.; Centre for Health Research, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia., Rolf F; The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.; Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK., Walker C; Southern Queensland Rural Health, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia.; Centre for Health Research, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia. |
| Zdroj: | The Australian journal of rural health [Aust J Rural Health] 2025 Dec; Vol. 33 (6), pp. e70109. |
| Spôsob vydávania: | Journal Article |
| Jazyk: | English |
| Informácie o časopise: | Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Asia Country of Publication: Australia NLM ID: 9305903 Publication Model: Print Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1440-1584 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 10385282 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Aust J Rural Health Subsets: MEDLINE |
| Imprint Name(s): | Publication: Amidale : Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Asia Original Publication: Armidale : Association for Australian Rural Nurses, c1992- |
| Výrazy zo slovníka MeSH: | Accidental Falls*/prevention & control , Telemedicine* , Exercise Therapy*/methods, Humans ; Pilot Projects ; Female ; Aged ; Male ; Queensland ; Rural Population ; Focus Groups ; Aged, 80 and over ; Rural Health Services/organization & administration ; Middle Aged ; Feasibility Studies |
| Abstrakt: | Objective: This pilot study evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of a student-led group falls prevention exercise program delivered to a fixed hub via telehealth to older adults in a remote community. Design: A convergent parallel mixed-methods design involving pre- and post-participation outcome measures, semi-structured focus groups and interviews explored the experiences and perspectives of participants completing the program and health professional students conducting the sessions. Setting: Telehealth delivery to a very remote town (Modified Monash Model 7) in southwestern Queensland from a regional city in southeast Queensland. Participants: Over 2022 and 2023, 17 community participants completed the program. Seven final year students, six studying exercise physiology and one studying physiotherapy, completed a clinical placement in a regional health and wellness clinic and implemented the telehealth program during their placement. Results: Community participants demonstrated significant improvements in mobility and function following program participation, with higher BOOMER scores (M = 13.12, 95% CI 11.94-14.29) and faster 10-m walk times (M = 8.56 s, 95% CI 7.31-9.81) compared to baseline (M = 10.94, 95% CI 9.04-12.84; and M = 10.31 s, 95% CI 8.32-12.31, respectively). Clinically meaningful gains on the 10-m walk test were achieved by 64.7% of participants. Beyond physical outcomes, the program fostered valuable social connections. Health professional students reported increased awareness of effective telehealth strategies and growth in clinical skills as additional benefits. Conclusions: Telehealth delivery of a group-based exercise program to a fixed hub appears to be a feasible and well-accepted model of rural health service delivery for both older adults and health students. Wider implementation of this approach to a broader range of health services could improve access to high-value care for rural and remote communities. (© 2025 National Rural Health Alliance Ltd.) |
| References: | World Health Organisation, WHO Global Report on Falls Prevention in Older Age (World Health Organisation, 2007). Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Falls in Older Australians 2019–20: Hospitalisations and Deaths Among People Aged 65 and Over (AIHW, 2022). K. L. Bennell, B. J. Lawford, B. Metcalf, et al., “Physiotherapists and Patients Report Positive Experiences Overall With Telehealth During the COVID‐19 Pandemic: A Mixed‐Methods Study,” Journal of Physiotherapy 67, no. 3 (2021): 201–209, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jphys.2021.06.009. M. A. Cottrell and T. G. Russell, “Telehealth for Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy,” Musculoskeletal Science & Practice 48 (2020): 102193, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msksp.2020.102193. A. Haynes, H. Gilchrist, J. S. Oliveira, C. Sherrington, and A. Tiedemann, “‘I Wouldn't Have Joined If It Wasn't Online’: Understanding Older People's Engagement With Teleyoga Classes for Fall Prevention,” BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies 22, no. 1 (2022): 1–12, https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906‐022‐03756‐1. S. C. Jennings, K. M. Manning, J. P. Bettger, et al., “Rapid Transition to Telehealth Group Exercise and Functional Assessments in Response to COVID‐19,” Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine 6 (2020): 2333721420980313, https://doi.org/10.1177/2333721420980313. R. Dawson, J. S. Oliveira, W. S. Kwok, et al., “Exercise Interventions Delivered Through Telehealth to Improve Physical Functioning for Older Adults With Frailty, Cognitive, or Mobility Disability: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis,” Telemedicine and e‐Health 30, no. 4 (2024): 94–950, https://doi.org/10.1089/tmj.2023.0177. I. Hunter, C. Lockhart, V. Rao, B. Tootell, and S. Wong, “Enabling Rural Telehealth for Older Adults in Underserved Rural Communities: Focus Group Study,” JMIR Formative Research 6, no. 11 (2022): e35864, https://doi.org/10.2196/35864. D. L. Jones, M. Robinson, T. K. Selfe, et al., “Prepandemic Feasibility of Tele‐Exercise as an Alternative Delivery Mode for an Evidence‐Based, Tai Ji Quan Fall‐Prevention Intervention for Older Adults,” Journal of Aging and Physical Activity 32, no. 4 (2024): 508–519, https://doi.org/10.1123/japa.2023‐0226. J. Romein, G. Hutchins, E. Ottrey, S. Talpey, and J. Bishop, “A Community‐Based Modified Sport Program for Rural Community‐Dwelling Older Adults: A Pilot Study,” Australian Journal of Rural Health 32, no. 3 (2024): 488–497, https://doi.org/10.1111/ajr.13108. Y. L. Ng, K. D. Hill, and E. Burton, “Experiences of Older Adults With Mild Balance Dysfunction Who Participated in a Supervised Seniors Exercise Park Program Progressing to Independent Practice,” Journal of Aging and Physical Activity 31, no. 4 (2023): 600–610, https://doi.org/10.1123/japa.2022‐0131. K. M. Serwe and C. Bowman, “Telehealth Experiential Learning: A Pilot Study of the Client's Experience,” Journal of Occupational Therapy Education 2, no. 2 (2018): 5, https://doi.org/10.26681/jote.2018.020205. C. Walker, R. Forbes, D. Osborn, et al., “The Transformation of a Student‐Led Health Clinic in Rural Australia From a Face‐To‐Face Service to a Telehealth Model: Evaluation of Student and Client Experiences During a COVID‐19 Driven Transition,” FoHPE 23, no. 2 (2022): 79–92, https://doi.org/10.11157/fohpe.v23i2.554. Australian Bureau of Statistics, Charleville Census All Persons QuickStats (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021). Queensland Health, Ageing With vitality: Your everyday guide to healthy active living n.d. J. W. Creswell and V. L. Plano Clark, Designing and Conducting Mixed Methods Research, 3rd ed. (SAGE, 2018). T. Haines, S. S. Kuys, G. Morrison, J. Clarke, P. Bew, and S. McPhail, “Development and Validation of the Balance Outcome Measure for Elder Rehabilitation,” Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 88, no. 12 (2007): 1614–1621, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2007.09.012. D. M. Peters, S. L. Fritz, and D. E. Krotish, “Assessing the Reliability and Validity of a Shorter Walk Test Compared With the 10‐Meter Walk Test for Measurements of Gait Speed in Healthy, Older Adults,” Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy 36, no. 1 (2013): 24–30, https://doi.org/10.1519/JPT.0b013e318248e20d. Queensland Health, D‐MT06: 10 Metre Walk Test (10mWT) (Queensland Health, 2024), [cited 2025 July 30], https://www.health.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/1007551/d‐mt06.pdf. A. Schutz, The Phenomenology of the Social World (Heinemann Educational, 1972). V. Braun and V. Clarke, “Using Thematic Analysis in Psychology,” Qualitative Research in Psychology 3, no. 2 (2006): 77–101. I. Bragina and C. Voelcker‐Rehage, “The Exercise Effect on Psychological Well‐Being in Older Adults—A Systematic Review of Longitudinal Studies,” German Journal of Exercise and Sport Research 48, no. 3 (2018): 323–333, https://doi.org/10.1007/s12662‐018‐0525‐0. A. Toledano‐Shubi, A. L. Shapira, R. Fuchsman, R. Marco, H. Hel‐Or, and H. Sarig Bahat, “Feasibility and Effectiveness of Physical Exercise for Older Adults Delivered Remotely via Videoconferencing‐Systematic Review and Meta Analysis,” Age and Ageing 54, no. 6 (2025): afaf171, https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afaf171. W. J. Rejeski, A. C. King, J. A. Katula, et al., “Physical Activity in Prefrail Older Adults: Confidence and Satisfaction Related to Physical Function,” Journals of Gerontology. Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences 63, no. 1 (2008): P19–P26, https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/63.1.P19. J. van Uffelen, C. Jenkin, H. Westerbeek, S. Biddle, and R. Eime, “Active and Healthy Ageing Through Sport. Report Prepared for the Australian Sports Commission. Victoria University, Institute of Sport, Exercise and Active Living (ISEAL),” (2015), https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.1.2332.0089. J. Wells, K. E. Manera, K. Kaur, and B. J. Smith, “Supporting Physical Activity Maintenance in Older Adults Following Supervised Group Exercise: A Mixed‐Methods Study Among Culturally Diverse Older Adults,” Journal of Applied Gerontology 43, no. 8 (2024): 1023–1032, https://doi.org/10.1177/07334648241230876. N. Lafond, A. Maula, S. Iliffe, et al., “We Got More Than we Expected.' Older People's Experiences of Falls‐Prevention Exercise Interventions and Implications for Practice a Qualitative Study,” Primary Health Care Research & Development 20 (2019): e103, https://doi.org/10.1017/S1463423619000379. A. Tiedemann, D. L. Sturnieks, E. Burton, et al., “Exercise and Sports Science Australia Updated Position Statement on Exercise for Preventing Falls in Older People Living in the Community,” Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport 28, no. 2 (2025): 87–94, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2024.09.003. A. M. Ezzat, E. Bell, J. L. Kemp, et al., “‘Much Better Than I Thought It Was Going to Be’: Telehealth Delivered Group‐Based Education and Exercise Was Perceived as Acceptable Among People With Knee Osteoarthritis,” Osteoarthr Cartil Open 4, no. 3 (2022): 100271, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocarto.2022.100271. S. Cartledge, J. C. Rawstorn, M. Tran, P. Ryan, E. J. Howden, and A. Jackson, “Telehealth Is Here to Stay but Not Without Challenges: A Consultation of Cardiac Rehabilitation Clinicians During COVID‐19 in Victoria, Australia,” European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing 21, no. 6 (2022): 548–558, https://doi.org/10.1093/eurjcn/zvab118. |
| Contributed Indexing: | Keywords: clinical placement; falls prevention; rural and remote health; service learning; telehealth |
| Entry Date(s): | Date Created: 20251124 Date Completed: 20251124 Latest Revision: 20251124 |
| Update Code: | 20251124 |
| DOI: | 10.1111/ajr.70109 |
| PMID: | 41277746 |
| Databáza: | MEDLINE |
Full Text Finder 
Nájsť tento článok vo Web of Science | Abstrakt: | Objective: This pilot study evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of a student-led group falls prevention exercise program delivered to a fixed hub via telehealth to older adults in a remote community.<br />Design: A convergent parallel mixed-methods design involving pre- and post-participation outcome measures, semi-structured focus groups and interviews explored the experiences and perspectives of participants completing the program and health professional students conducting the sessions.<br />Setting: Telehealth delivery to a very remote town (Modified Monash Model 7) in southwestern Queensland from a regional city in southeast Queensland.<br />Participants: Over 2022 and 2023, 17 community participants completed the program. Seven final year students, six studying exercise physiology and one studying physiotherapy, completed a clinical placement in a regional health and wellness clinic and implemented the telehealth program during their placement.<br />Results: Community participants demonstrated significant improvements in mobility and function following program participation, with higher BOOMER scores (M = 13.12, 95% CI 11.94-14.29) and faster 10-m walk times (M = 8.56 s, 95% CI 7.31-9.81) compared to baseline (M = 10.94, 95% CI 9.04-12.84; and M = 10.31 s, 95% CI 8.32-12.31, respectively). Clinically meaningful gains on the 10-m walk test were achieved by 64.7% of participants. Beyond physical outcomes, the program fostered valuable social connections. Health professional students reported increased awareness of effective telehealth strategies and growth in clinical skills as additional benefits.<br />Conclusions: Telehealth delivery of a group-based exercise program to a fixed hub appears to be a feasible and well-accepted model of rural health service delivery for both older adults and health students. Wider implementation of this approach to a broader range of health services could improve access to high-value care for rural and remote communities.<br /> (© 2025 National Rural Health Alliance Ltd.) |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 1440-1584 |
| DOI: | 10.1111/ajr.70109 |