Nittaya Thongkachorn

Abstract

This research and development study aimed to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of a family participation program integrating music with fall-prevention exercise on exercise behavior, functional mobility, and fear of falling among community-dwelling older adults. The study was conducted in two phases. Phase 1 employed a qualitative approach to develop the program by integrating evidence-based practice using the IOWA Model of Evidence-Based Practice together with the participation concept of Cohen and Uphoff. Phase 2 used a quasi-experimental two-group pretest–posttest design. A total of 58 older adults at risk of falling were recruited and equally assigned to an experimental group and a control group (29 participants per group). Research instruments included an exercise behavior questionnaire, the Timed Up and Go test (TUG), and the Falls Efficacy Scale–International (FES-I). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, paired t-test, and independent samples t-test. The level of statistical significance was set at .05.

The results showed that the program had good content validity (IOC = 0.84). After the intervention, the experimental group demonstrated a significant improvement in health behavior scores. The Timed Up and Go test (TUG) decreased from 17.00 ± 1.89 to 14.90 ± 2.60 seconds, and the Falls Efficacy Scale–International (FES-I) score decreased from 33.20 ± 3.52 to 27.80 ± 5.28. These improvements were statistically significant compared to both baseline and the control group (P-value < .05). In conclusion, the family participation program integrating music with fall-prevention exercise was effective in improving exercise behavior, reducing fall risk, and decreasing fear of falling among community-dwelling older adults. The program is appropriate for implementation in community-based healthcare settings.