Use of berg balance scale to prevent fall in geriatric patients

Objective: To determine the effectiveness of guidelines of berg balance scale (BBS) on reducing risk of fall and the level of falls (low risk and high risk) by BBS. Methodology: This validation study was done on 16 geriatric patients with history of fall calculated at Akbar Niazi Teaching Hospital (ANTH), Islamabad from January to March 2019. The berg balance scale questionnaire and fall efficacy scale were used to measure balance and fear of falling in geriatric people and purposive sampling was done for the data collection. Data were analyzed in SPSS 23. Results: Out of 16 geriatric patients, 43.75% were males and 56.25% females. Mean age was 74.38 +/- 9.46 years (range 65 - 93). BBS of 14 conditions from first month to third month was measured as follow, 26.56 +/- 5.22 to 41.00 +/- 8.00 (p = 0.001). Conclusion: The clinical guidelines of BBS with balancing techniques are effective for preventing fall among older persons.