Grant: Travel Awards - Institute Community Support

Background: As the population of older adults increases in Canada, the resources to provide rehabilitation become more limited. Accessibility to rehabilitation programs becomes increasingly challenging especially in the rural communities with more limited rehabilitation resources (Osborne, 2008). Older age is a significant risk factor for falling and admission to the hospitals. Although several effective falls prevention programs are reported in the literature, a challenge is in providing programs in the rural communities. Objectives: The overall aim of my doctoral research addresses the mobility challenges facing the older adults in the rural communities. The specific objectives are to; 1) explore the viewpoints of the older adults in the rural community (Canmore) on the benefits and barriers of being active using a qualitative study; 2) examine the feasibility of using an app for personal activity monitor in older adults residing in a small rural community (Canmore) who are at risk of falling. Falls prevention is a key concern for discharge of patients from the hospitals in Canmore. The first objectives of the study will provide the groundwork for the second objective. Methodology: Using a mixed method will provide a rich source of data to examine how physiotherapists can monitor older patients aged 65+ years who are at risk of falling in the rural communities in Canmore. The grounded theory methodology will guide the data collection and analysis of the qualitative study component. For the feasibility study, the participants' wearable activity/fall monitoring device and the "dashboards" shared with the physiotherapists at the local hospitals will monitor the participant's physical activity and fall outcomes. Data will be analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The outcome of this study may provide the strategy to help the older adults achieve the recommended dosage of physical activity for falls-prevention following discharge home.