Falls are the leading cause of injuries among older adults, but there are many ways that older adults can prevent falls, including:
- Exercise to improve strength and balance,
- Good nutrition that includes plenty of calcium and vitamin D,
- Reviewing medications to avoid drowsiness and dizziness,
- Ensuring good vision through regular check-ups and wearing appropriate glasses or contact lenses,
- Removing potential hazards at home like clutter, slippery surfaces, and poor lighting, and
- Participating in falls prevention programs like A Matter of Balance.
- “A person will come into a Tai Chi class because they have fallen at least once, and they are concerned about where that fall will lead.”
– Dale Mitchell, Ethos
A great way to promote these activities among older adults is to participate in Falls Prevention Awareness Day, coming up this Tuesday, September 23rd. The Massachusetts Falls Prevention Coalition is hosting the 8th Annual Falls Prevention Awareness Day Event at the Massachusetts State House. From 10:00am-1:00pm, attendees can receive helpful information about fall prevention, meet legislators and other state officials, and enjoy light refreshments. This event is a great opportunity for healthy aging professionals, older adults, caregivers, and policymakers to gather as a community to raise awareness and promote falls prevention among older adults.
- Participants in an Arthritis Foundation Tai Chi class by Springwell. Photo by Aaron Washington Photography
Ethos is also hosting a Falls Prevention Awareness Day event on September 23 from 10:30am-3:30pm at the Boston Lodge of Elks. There will be free exercise demonstrations, medication reviews, vision screenings, and information about transportation services and discounts. Representatives from the City of Boston’s Elderly Commission and other agencies will also be there to answer questions and promote services available for older adults.
If you’re interested in promoting falls prevention awareness, the National Council on Aging has a variety of resources you can use, including shareable infographics, sample press releases, ideas for planning falls prevention awareness activities and partnerships, and much more.
There are many ways to promote falls prevention awareness, whether you join or host a Falls Prevention Awareness Day event, share falls prevention information with colleagues and older adults, or take time to learn more about it yourself. Let us know in the comments what you’re doing for Falls Prevention Awareness Day!
Related Content
- Read our latest blog post about Tai Chi for Falls Prevention
- Learn more about the Matter of Balance program
- Learn more about Tai Chi in our latest video