The Area Agency on Aging 3 and the Ohio Department of Aging is offering online courses for seniors in order to know the risk of falls.
"One in four Ohioans over age 65 will fall this year. That fall can have long-ranging impacts on the individuals as well as their family and community," said Director Ursel J. McElroy in a press release. "There are simple things all Ohioans can do right now to decrease their risk of a life-changing fall."
The Area Agency on Aging 3 is offering online services for seniors to connect with a representative to learn more about preventing falls.
Fall Prevention Week is September 21st - 25th, 2020. In conjunction with the week long awareness campaign, agencies across Ohio will be issuing a challenge to all older Ohioans: Take 10 BIG Steps to Prevent Falls.
10 BIG Steps to Prevent Falls is part of the Steady U Ohio fall prevention initiative. The week-long campaign pairs five free, daily, online learning opportunities with five personal action steps to promote different aspects of fail prevention.
Participants will learn about a unique topic from fall prevention and other experts each day. Seniors will then be provided a checklist, planning template, or other activity to apply the information in their everyday lives.
"Although our annual in-person Falls Prevention Awareness Day will not take place due to COVID-19, Area Agency on Aging 3 remains committed and is again happy to join the Ohio Department of Aging to help increase awareness and education the older adults in our communities on fall prevention," said Dre White, Area Agency on Aging 3 Health Education Coordinator.
From September 21st through the 25th, seniors will be learning about the following aspects of the 10 BIG steps to Prevent Falls:
- Learn about the factors that increase your risk of falling and steps to reduce your risk.
- Complete a fail-risk self-assessment and discuss the results with your family and care providers.
- Learn about exercises and other physical activity that can reduce your risk of falling.
- Create a professional exercise plan and try a new exercise.
- Learn how to identify and remove falls risk in and around your home.
- Complete a home hazard walk-through and checklist.
- Learn how a healthy diet can help lower your risk of falling.
- Create a meal plan to prevent fails.
- Learn how to talk to your doctor and other health care providers about falls.
- Complete a medication inventory and discuss with your health care provider or pharmacist.
"I believe it is important to understand even though many older adults are staying home and not as socially active during this difficult time, an unsafe home is actually one of the top risk factors that can lead to falls." White stated. "This is an especially important time to educate on fall prevention & home safety and the Ohio Department of Aging's STEADY U falls prevention initiative is a great way to do this. With the increased time spent in the home during this pandemic, this is actually a great time to take a look at our homes and ask if they are safe for us and utilize this time to make the proper adjustments to keep us safe and on our feet."
Any senior interested in the program is asked to contact the Area Agency on Aging 3 at 419-222-7723.
