Table 2 Summary of Instructor and Program Characteristics
Characteristics | Number of programs | Percent of programs |
|---|---|---|
Instructor educational backgrounda | ||
Certification | 81 | 58% |
Health care professional | 62 | 44% |
Other fitness/sports/physical training | 22 | 16% |
Specific fall prevention/older adult training | 16 | 11% |
Education/teaching degree | 12 | 9% |
None | 8 | 6% |
Other | 6 | 4% |
Specific training or education in falls prevention | ||
Yes | 109 | 78% |
No | 30 | 21% |
Missing | 1 | 0.7% |
Years of experience in their role | ||
1 year or less | 25 | 18% |
2 years | 17 | 12% |
3 years | 24 | 17% |
4 years | 17 | 12% |
5 years | 13 | 9% |
6 years or more | 43 | 31% |
Missing | 1 | 0.7% |
Program delivered by | ||
Certified fitness professional | 69 | 49% |
Health professional | 34 | 24% |
Peer-leader | 29 | 21% |
Other | 7 | 5% |
Missing | 1 | 0.7% |
Specific older adult population targeted | ||
No | 21 | 15% |
Yes | 119 | 85% |
Healthy older adults* | 48 | 40% |
Older adults with a previous fall history* | 41 | 34% |
Older adults with a specific health condition* | 20 | 17% |
All of the above* | 47 | 39% |
Others:* | 16 | 13% |
Anyone at risk of falls/trouble with balance* | 9 | 8% |
Anyone with mobility difficulties* | 7 | 6% |
Specific inclusion criteria | ||
No | 78 | 56% |
Yes | 62 | 44% |
Minimum strength level** | 61 | 98% |
Completion of medical clearance** | 35 | 56% |
Minimum performance of specific tasks** | 48 | 77% |
Minimum independence level** | 27 | 44% |
No serious/unstable medical or neurological disorders** | 5 | 8% |
Other (age, transportation, language, income, falls history/risk)** | 7 | 11% |
Exercise frequency (# classes/week) | ||
1 per week | 33 | 24% |
2 per week | 83 | 59% |
3 per week | 10 | 7% |
4 or more per week | 8 | 6% |
Other/unclear | 6 | 4% |
Class length (in hours) | ||
< 1 h | 39 | 28% |
1 h | 81 | 58% |
> 1 h - < 2 h | 17 | 12% |
2 h | 2 | 1% |
Other/unclear | 1 | 0.7% |
Total exercise time (in hours) per week | ||
< 1 h | 7 | 5% |
1 h | 20 | 14% |
> 1 h - < 2 h | 23 | 16% |
2 h | 56 | 40% |
> 2 h - < 3 h | 12 | 9% |
3 h or more | 16 | 11% |
Unclear | 6 | 4% |
Prescription of home exercises | ||
Yes | 93 | 66% |
No | 47 | 35% |
Provision of class/home resources | ||
Yes | 93 | 66% |
No | 47 | 35% |
Program duration | ||
Continually throughout the year | 63 | 45% |
Fixed period of time | 77 | 55% |
Progression of balance exercise challenge over the duration of the exercise program | ||
Stays the same | 27 | 19% |
Becomes less challenging | 4 | 3% |
Becomes more challenging | 109 | 78% |
Provision of options to allow participants to make the exercises more or less challenging | ||
Yes | 135 | 96% |
No and Other | 5 | 4% |