Characteristics of volunteer lay leaders who show longevity in teaching A Matter Of Balance®
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Date
2011
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Authors
Fountain, Caroline G.
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Publisher
East Carolina University
Abstract
This study was designed to explore the characteristics of individuals who volunteered to teach the A Matter of Balance® program, an evidence-based health promotion program that relies on trained volunteer lay leaders to educate older adults on the fear of falling. A developed survey was sent to 206 volunteer lay leaders who reside in North Carolina and was distributed through email using the East Carolina University Qualtrics survey software. The response rate was 44% (N=90). The study found limited statistical significance related to the longevity (number of years trained/teaching the course and the number of courses taught per year) of participants involvement in volunteering as a lay leader to characteristics of the participants. These findings may be restricted secondary to the development, organization, and implementation of A Matter of Balance® program including: 1) commitment of volunteers; 2) publicity of program availability throughout the state; and 3) consistency of course teachings, are still not yet matured within the state. The results show individuals who chose to teach A Matter of Balance® were not doing so for a specific purpose or for an indefinite period of time, although the characteristics identified, provide new insights into selecting appropriate people to teach this program in the future and ways to maintain their commitment.