OBJECTIVE

To assess the impact of a multifaceted falls prevention program including exercise and educational components on perceived balance and balance confidence among community-dwelling seniors.

DESIGN

Quasi-experimental design.

SETTING

Community-based organizations.

PARTICIPANTS

Two hundred community-dwelling adults aged 60 years and over recruited by community-based organizations.

INTERVENTION

A 12-week multifaceted falls prevention program including 3 components (a 1-hour group exercise class held twice a week, a 30-minute home exercise module to be performed at least once a week, a 30-minute educational class held once a week).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Perceived balance and balance confidence.

RESULTS

Multivariate analysis showed that the program was successful in increasing perceived balance in experimental participants. However, balance confidence was not improved by program participation.

CONCLUSIONS

A multifaceted community-based falls prevention program that was successful in improving balance performance among community-dwelling seniors also had a positive impact on perceived balance. However, the program did not improve participants' balance confidence. These results suggest that balance confidence has determinants other than balance and that new components and/or modifications of existing components of the program are required to achieve maximal benefits for seniors in terms of physical and psychologic outcomes.