A mixed-method exploration of the effects and feasibility of an intergenerational fall-prevention gardening programme in older adults at risk of falling: a clinical trial

Aim: Exercise-based fall-prevention programmes can significantly benefit older adults at risk of falling, yet drop-out and non-adherence are common. The current study investigated the feasibility and effects of an intergenerational, gardening-based fall-prevention programme. This intervention was chosen because gardening is known to have a multitude of positive effects and was considered as an attractive option for the target population.

Subject and methods: Across 3 months, 16 individuals at risk of falling participated in eight weekly gardening sessions. Participants completed a battery of physical assessments and self-report questionnaires before and after the intervention. Focus groups were used to explore the participants’ perceptions of the intervention.

Results: No statistically significant changes for the main physical and mental health outcomes were found, but participants reported increased confidence and reduced fear of falling post-intervention. Qualitative analyses revealed that participants perceived the intervention to have diverse positive effects, and provided important insights into participants’ motivation for programme attendance.

Conclusion: A professionally designed and supervised gardening programme seems to be a promising fall-prevention intervention, and adequately powered randomised controlled trials (RCTs) need to further examine the effectiveness of such programmes. Furthermore, the current findings have a high value for researchers and practitioners, as they highlight factors such as purposefulness and cognitive stimulation which could be systematically targeted to further increase participants’ motivation, acceptance, and adherence rates to fall-prevention programmes in general.