The first day of fall, September 23rd, has been declared National Falls Prevention Awareness Day. The goal is to promote and increase public awareness about how to prevent and reduce falls among older adults. Many states, organizations and local falls prevention coalitions will honor this day with awareness campaigns, education and other activities.

Any organization working with older adults, especially those who are frail or ill, can help in falls prevention efforts. It is important not only to implement internal procedures and assessments, but to understand the impacts of falls on individuals and society. Aging Wisely not only provides professional falls prevention, home safety and comprehensive assessments, but also joins in community efforts surrounding falls prevention and education. We invite you to visit the Pinellas County Falls Prevention Coalition website, which Aging Wisely co-founded. Community collaborations such as this help to share efforts and resources, and therefore strengthen each organization’s falls prevention strategy. Check out some of the great links and resources available there.

If you care about an aging loved one, there are some great resources to do a basic checklist and take some simple steps toward fall prevention (our fall prevention checklist). Our professional care managers provide in depth assessments and reviews with personal recommendations, which can also be helpful if you are concerned about convincing your loved one to make changes. We can also help identify potential causes and solutions, when multiple medical problems or more complex issues exist. Our knowledge of resources saves you valuable time and money, especially when you consider the devastating impacts falls can have.

We have also included a handout about falls and Osteoporosis, which highlights the risks and concerns as well as some valuable tips.

osteoporosis_falls_and-broken-bones

Let us know if your organization or community has activities going on for Falls Prevention Day and we’ll be happy to help get the word out!