Falls are the leading cause of nonfatal injuries in the United States and the second leading cause of all unintentional injury deaths. Each year fractures of the hip account for about 200,000 hospitalizations among the elderly and falls are contributing factors in 40 percent of admissions to nursing homes. About 30 percent of community-dwelling elderly fall each year, with about 10 percent seeking emergency medical help for a fall injury. Data from CDC-funded study to assess falls among the elderly (SAFE) suggest that as many as 41 percent of elderly patients fall at home in the year following discharge from hospitalization due in part to deconditioning associated with inactivity. To determine whether a physical restoration program (SAFE-GRIP) results in the outcome of a reduced occurrence of falls following discharge from hospitalization. This is a four-year randomized trial of SAFE-GRIP, designed to assess its effectiveness in improving the physical functional capacity, reducing the likelihood of falls and decreasing the chance of injury from falls. We will recruit a sample of 105 males and 105 females aged 60+ years inactive at home or recently discharged from an inpatient stay. Study participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups, PR or control. Measures of physical function, health care utilization, ADL/IADL performance and health-related quality of life will be taken at baseline, eight weeks following medical clearance, and again at six months. The incidence of falls will also be tracked for each subject. Self-report of the number of falls in the year prior to hospitalization, an assessment of in-home hazards, and an assessment of participants' post-hospitalization medication regimen will be obtained at the baseline assessment and used as covariates in the analysis of outcomes.

Ages Eligible for Study:  65 Years and above,  Genders Eligible for Study:  Both

Criteria