An online program to prevent falls in older adults who rely on wheelchairs or scooters for mobility significantly reduced their concerns about falling, according to preliminary results presented this week at the Gerontological Society of America (GSA) 2025 Annual Scientific Meeting in Boston.

The findings point to an overlooked gap in geriatric care and a potential low-cost way to support independence for those with long-term mobility disabilities, researchers said.

“Falls, which are common even among seated mobility device users, can lead to injury, reduced confidence, and withdrawal from community activities,” said Laura Rice, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Community Health in the College of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, who led the study.

Each year, roughly 1 in 4 older adults report falling, leading to an estimated 3 million emergency department visits. Falls are common among the 1 million adults in the US who use wheelchairs and scooters full time for mobility, and especially among those with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to the abstract.

For the new study, Rice and her team enrolled 12 adults with MS in the Individualized Reduction of Falls (iROLL) program, a 6-week online course to reduce fall hazards while using wheelchairs and scooters. iROLL, which was created by Rice and her team in 2013, also teaches patients what to do after a fall.

Prerecorded videos included topics such as wheelchair skills training, safe transfer techniques, and seated balance exercises. Each session lasted an hour per week, followed by small group meetings led by physical or occupational therapists online.

At the end of the pilot, all participants reported significantly decreased concerns about falling (P < .01) and increased understanding of fall prevention and management (P = .03).

While the study focused on people aging with MS, the broader issue of falls resonates across geriatric care, said Fadi Ramadan, MD, geriatrician and assistant professor of medicine at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, who was not involved in the research.

“Falls are one of the geriatric syndromes: dementia, delirium, depression, polypharmacy, frailty, weight loss, falls, and pressure ulcers,” he said. “The older the individual, the higher the risk.”

An online educational program “can at least make them aware that this is a risk,” Ramadan said.

For clinicians considering referring patients to fall prevention programs, feasibility depends less on age and more on individual background such as baseline education, medical history, and location, Ramadan said. Clinicians should also assess social and cognitive factors before recommending online programs, he said.

“If they have dementia or cognitive impairment, then they won’t be able to” complete an online program, Ramadan said.

Rice and Ramadan reported having no relevant disclosures.

Lara Salahi is a health journalist based in Boston.