Date: 18 Feb, 2026
Time: 12:00 am - 1:00 pm (MT)

Join us to learn about new University of Alberta community-based research in older adult falls prevention with the Department of Physical Therapy and Faculty of Nursing.

Considerations and adaptations for a fall prevention program that are culturally sensitive for South Asian older women will be presented. This work was embedded with the STRONG Program which is a 8-week community-based health promotion program designed with and for South Asian older women to improve mobility and health literacy. The program included in-person physiotherapist-led exercise sessions and virtual nurse-led health literacy sessions. A total of 34 older women in Edmonton participated in the first iteration of the program to evaluate acceptability and feasibility. Lessons learnt will be used to refine the program and facilitate future implementation and evaluation.

Objectives:

• Discuss general principles when adapting  fall prevention, exercise and health literacy for South Asian older populations.

• Provide practical examples of culturally sensitive adaptations for fall prevention with South Asian older women.

• Describe the STRONG Program and the co-design process.

Speaker Bios:

Jyotsna Nanda is a second year Masters physiotherapy student, University of Alberta who has adapted the falls prevention program in the Strong program.

Sadaf Murad is a doctoral student in the Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta and Registered Nurse with expertise in dementia care and immigrant health. Her research has included a focus on mobility in older adults, dementia in immigrant communities, and aging in place.

Allyson Jones is a professor in the Dept Physical Therapy, University of Alberta and also practices clinically at a primary care clinic. Her research looks at mobility in the older adults in the community. She has presented on fall prevention and physical activity to rural and urban groups.