P4R2W4: Steady as you go (SAY Go!)

Lights of Nelson from a plane.

Monday was ANZAC day.

I was in Wellington over the long weekend for a mate's wedding in Silverstream. I took the 30 minute flight across and got to enjoy a birds eye view of Nelson. The wedding was great, and I had a much needed catch up with many of my good friends.

Our research is on the topic falls, and the University of Otago School of Physiotherapy and School of Medicine have some nationally and globally recognised programmes / research in this area... 

• The 'Otago Exercise Programme' (1997) is one intervention that has been adopted by the CDC (Centre for Disease Control & Prevention) an international advisory group and ACC New Zealand. The 'Otago Exercise Programme' is an strength and balance training intervention for older persons, prescribed by a physiotherapist, and has been shown to reduce falls and fall-related injuries. It involves a home visits and telephone follow-ups and ultimately strives to have individuals successfully self-managing by 12 months. 

• Steady as you go (SAY Go) New Zealand (not to be confused with the Alberta study of the same name) was developed in 2003. Instead of an individual-based intervention like the 'Otago Exercise Programme', 'SAY Go' drew strengthening and balance training strategies and delivered them in a community setting (a trained peer-led group exercise class).

• Both interventions demonstrate the effectiveness of balance and strength training, and education for reducing falls (and needless to say, reducing the burden of falls on the individual, their support network including informal carers, as well as the burden on New Zealand health care resources).

My research group is investigating the literature as it pertains to fall prevention strategies, self-efficacy, the individual and their informal carers. This week we have pooled together the fall strategies into a table and found some common themes. There are some interesting quotes from some studies too!

"Nowadays I feel that I don't dare fall, and I feel clumsy. Children often fall, but they don't get hurt much. But if I fall... well, then bad things will happen. I just don't dare fall".

 [~Yikes, this makes ageing seem less desirable!! Steady as you go, people! Haha!~]

On Tuesday we had a conference call with Leigh, Dean of the School of Physiotherapy (a key stakeholder in our research group project). Leigh was in Dunedin, my research group was in Christchurch, and you guessed it - I was in Nelson. We all took this meeting seriously, dressing up in formal attire.... or did we... haha!!

Zoom conference call: Most of my research group in CHCH (top left), myself in Nelson (top right), Dean of the School, Leigh (bottom).

Dress to impress!

More info on our research progress next week!