Study highlights Providence leadership in preventing falls among older adults

September 21, 2026

Providence Oregon News Team

September 2026

A Providence-led research collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is drawing national attention for its impact on improving care for older adults.

Published in the prestigious J American Geriatrics Society, the study found that clinicians who completed Providence's geriatric mini-fellowship were more likely to screen patients for fall risk, helping identify concerns before a serious injury occurs.

_{Above: Study published in JAGS with contributors.}

Training that improves patient care

Falls are a leading health concern for older adults, making early identification and prevention critical. Providence's geriatric mini-fellowship was created to strengthen clinicians' skills in caring for older adults, including fall-risk management.

“For us to take essentially all of our primary care locations across Providence Oregon and be able to demonstrate what can happen in a large, community-based healthcare organization in supporting our older adult patients – it’s really an important story to tell,” says Colleen Casey, Ph.D.

Research with real-world impact

Researchers analyzed more than 213,000 fall-risk screenings performed for over 133,000 older adults during a five-year period.

The study found that patients cared for by clinicians connected to the mini-fellowship were more likely to receive fall-risk screenings than those seen by providers without exposure to the program. The publication concluded that intensive geriatric training can support sustained fall-risk screening in primary care.

Building a safer future for older adults

Now in its eighth cohort, the geriatric mini-fellowship has trained more than 50 primary care providers who bring their expertise back to clinics across the region.

“Falls, particularly fatal falls, and those that cause injury, are a real public health crisis,” Dr. Casey says. Providence leaders hope the research will encourage broader adoption of fall-risk screening and help more older adults maintain their independence and quality of life.

_{Above: Flyers on fall prevention classes offered by Providence Senior Health.}