Falls among the older population is a public health issue. Many studies have outlined ways to decrease the risk of falls among this population. The use of multifactorial, multi-component, and single-component fall prevention intervention methods are recommended by the American Geriatrics Society/British Geriatrics Society Clinical Practice Guideline for Prevention of Falls in Older Persons. Home modifications, exercises for balance improvement, strengthening and gait improvement, medication management, and footwear management are outlined in AG S/BGS CPG as multifactorial, multi-component components or, when used alone, as a single intervention. The role footwear plays in fall prevention is mostly overlooked. Most older adults, their caregivers, and health practitioners are unaware that specific footwear features can contribute to falls. Occupational therapists are uniquely skilled in the therapeutic use of self, and occupation-based treatment to improve occupational outcomes, including fall prevention, to enhance the client’s occupational independence or population. This capstone project is a program proposal that will synthesize evidence to justify the effectiveness of multifactorial and multi-component fall prevention intervention with a focus on the use of appropriate footwear to decrease the risk of falls.
