NEWS

Resources Available for Falls Prevention Awareness Week from Sept. 21-25

Sep 16, 2020

COVID-19 has changed a lot of things, but one has stayed the same: Falling is NOT a normal part of aging.

Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley-North Shore and the Healthy Living Center of Excellence team is coordinating state-based activities for Falls Prevention Awareness Week from Sept. 21-25 on behalf of the Massachusetts Falls Prevention Coalition.

The week is a nationwide effort to prevent falls among older adults and raise awareness of the issue. The National Council on Aging (NCOA) has a toolkit of marketing materials to encourage older adults to use their new online Falls Free CheckUp, which provides a personalized look at risk factors and explains how to address them. The screening and marketing materials are available in both English and Spanish.

Other activities include:

  • Two Facebook Live events hosted by the NCOA:  Tuesday, September 22 at 6:30 p.m. in English and Wednesday, September 23 at 6:30 p.m. in Spanish. Visit: https://www.facebook.com/NCOAging/
  • Promotion of falls evidence-based programs, particularly the remote A Matter of Balance pilot program.  Click here for more information about the pilot and here to see a calendar of programs.
  • A live webinar on September 22nd sponsored by Representative Paul Tucker of Salem and including a discussion on falls prevention, testimonial from an older adult who has completed the Matter of Balance program, and a Tai Chi demonstration (see below).

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83996620676?pwd=SUpjYjJNVHFlOEp6SGd5TWZhZDdsQT09

Meeting ID: 839 9662 0676

Passcode: 182663

Share any Falls Prevention Awareness Week activities you have planned by sending them to Molly Gerbutavich at mgerbutavich@esmv.org.