Across the country, thousands team up to empower older adults to stay healthy and independent
Arlington, VA (September 19, 2019) – On Monday, September 23—the first day of fall—the National Council on Aging (NCOA) is partnering with thousands of educators, caregivers, health and aging professionals, community-based organizations, and older adults across the country to focus on one goal: preventing falls. This year’s Falls Prevention Awareness Day, sponsored by NCOA and its Falls Free® Initiative, emphasizes the teamwork needed to prevent falls effectively.
“Falls prevention is a true team effort that takes a balance of education, intervention, and community support,” said Kathleen Cameron, Senior Director of NCOA’s National Falls Prevention Resource Center. “It includes everything from removing fall hazards in the home and managing medications to engaging in physical activity that improves balance and strength to reduce fall risks. Falls Prevention Awareness Day is an opportunity to empower and educate older adults—as well as their doctors, nurses, physical and occupational therapists, pharmacists, and family members—about their role in preventing falls.”
Falls are a leading cause of injury for people aged 65 and older. Falls threaten older adults’ safety and independence and generate enormous economic and personal costs. However, falling is not an inevitable result of aging. Through practical lifestyle adjustments, evidence-based falls prevention programs and clinical-community partnerships, the number of falls among older adults can be substantially reduced.
In conjunction with Falls Prevention Awareness Day, thousands of state and local organizations are offering fun community events to empower older adults to stay active, independent, and safe in their homes and communities. NCOA partners are hosting classes and seminars, performing falls risk screenings, connecting older adults to evidence-based falls prevention programs, and providing falls prevention tips.
NCOA also is hosting a live video broadcast and discussion on Facebook with experts and older adults on Sept. 23 at 12:00 p.m. ET and a Twitter chat for aging services professionals on Sept. 24 at 1:00 p.m. ET.
This year’s Falls Prevention Awareness Day is made possible in part by Centene Corporation and by a grant from the U.S. Administration for Community Living.
To find out more about Falls Prevention Awareness Day, please visit www.ncoa.org/FPAD.
This project is supported, in part by grant No. 90FP0023-04-00, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, 20201. Grantees undertaking projects under government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Therefore, points of view or opinions do not necessarily represent official Administration for Community Living policy.
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