(Madison County, NY – Sept. 2015) Fall is just around the corner, but falls shouldn’t be just around the corner for older adults.
While falls are the leading cause of both fatal and nonfatal injury for people 65 years of age and older, they are not an inevitable part of aging. This year’s Fall Prevention Awareness Day Sept. 23 theme, “Take a Stand to Prevent Falls,” seeks to raise awareness about how to prevent fall-related injury among older adults.
Studies show that a combination of behavior changes can significantly reduce falls among older adults. Experts recommend:
*Participating in a physical activity regimen with balance, strength training, and flexibility components.
*Consulting with a health professional about getting a fall risk assessment.
*Having medications reviewed periodically.
*Getting eyes and ears checked annually.
*Making sure the home environment is safe and supportive.
The recent United States of Aging Survey polled older adults to find out about how they are preparing for their later years. It found that more than half of seniors questioned said they would be interested in the expansion of community-based health promotion programs, including falls prevention classes.
Seniors are invited to join the Madison County Office for the Aging, for a National Falls Prevention presentation, Sept. 16 at the Perryville SNACK site at 11 a.m., Sept. 22 at the Chittenango SNACK site at 11 a.m., and Sept. 23 at the Earlville SNACK site at 11:15 a.m. Learn more about preventing falls, and how the RSVP Bone Builder program can help.
Bone Builders is part of the Strong women program created and developed at Tufts University. This is an exercise and education program designed to prevent and help alleviate osteoporosis and improve general fitness. This program is free of charge, and currently classes are held in five locations in the county.
Madison County Office for the Aging, Inc. is part of the national Falls Free Initiative, which includes 43 state-based falls prevention coalitions and 70 national organizations, professional associations, and federal agencies across the country dedicated to reducing fall-related injuries and deaths among older adults.
For more information, visit http://www.ofamadco.org or go to www.ncoa.org/FPAD.