Older Adults’ Biobehavioral Fall Risks Were Affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic: Lessons Learned for Future Fall Prevention Research to Incorporate Multilevel Perspectives

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Examining the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on fall risks may provide insight into how multilevel factors as described in National Institute of Nursing Research's (NINR’s) draft strategic plan can guide future fall prevention research. This article describes the affect of COVID-19 on fall risks from the perspective of older adults who live in assisted living facilities (ALFs), and explores the needs and approaches to implement fall prevention interventions at individual, social, community, and policy levels. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Exploratory survey study. Participants from a fall prevention study at 2 ALFs in Oregon were invited to the study. Survey questions asked about COVID experience, and changes in fall risks and day-to-day activities in Spring 2020. Quantitative responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Cohen’s d effect sizes. Qualitative responses were analyzed using conventional content analysis. RESULTS: Thirteen participants (age: M = 87.08, standard deviation = 6.52) responded. More participants reported feeling unsteady compared to pre-COVID data (38% vs. 62%), while the proportion of those worried about falling remained the same at 38%. Participants reported negligible decreases in importance of fall prevention and small decreases in confidence of fall prevention (Cohen’s d = −0.13 and −0.21, respectively). The themes related to the affect of COVID on fall risks were: not to worry about fall risks but be cautious and physical activity is important, but it’s hard during COVID. Impact of COVID on day-to-day activities were: varying degrees of concern for COVID, lack of social and community support, and finding unique ways to cope with COVID. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: These individual-level perspectives suggest that older adults were at increased risk for falling. Results exemplify the influence of broader-level factors (e.g., social, community, and policy) on individual biobehavioral factors (e.g., fall risks and health behaviors), and illustrate the value of examining multilevel factors in future fall prevention research.