Fall-Prevention Education and Supervised Balance-Strategy Practice for Older Outpatients: A Community Service Activity

Fall-Prevention Education and Balance Practice

Abstract

Falls are a major source of injury and functional decline among older adults. Brief fall-prevention education delivered during outpatient waiting time may provide an opportunity to discuss modifiable hazards and introduce safe balance practice. Objective: This community service activity aimed to deliver fall-prevention education and supervised balance-strategy practice and to document implementation feasibility and participant engagement. The activity was conducted incidentally within routine services at the Outpatient Clinic of Ibnu Sina YW-UMI Hospital, Makassar, on May 25, 2026. Two adults aged 60 years or older with mobility-related complaints were available and participated. The program comprised approximately 10 minutes of interactive education using visual media and leaflets, a balance-strategy demonstration, supervised practice, and individual guidance. Knowledge responses were explored through unstructured questions and answers, while exercise performance was observed without a standardized checklist or quantitative scoring. Both participants engaged in the discussion, identified several fall-related conditions after the education, and reproduced the demonstrated movements with guidance from the team. These observations describe participation during a single session and do not establish improvement in knowledge, balance, or fall risk. A brief outpatient education and supervised-practice format was feasible with the two participants present and allowed immediate correction of movements. Future activities require broader recruitment, a documented and reproducible exercise protocol, standardized assessments, and follow-up.