September 18 – 24, 2022
Did you know that falls are the leading cause of injury-related emergency department visits for older adults, a major cause of hip fractures, and the reason for more than half of fatal head injuries? Falls threaten seniors’ safety and independence and generate enormous economic and personal costs.
Falls Prevention Awareness Week is a nationwide effort to raise awareness on how to prevent falls and reduce fall risks. Falls Prevention Awareness Week is recognized each year during the Fall season, and this year, it is observed from September 18 to September 24, 2022.
Due to the increasing number of older adults, and the fact that they are living longer, older Americans are likely to experience physical problems now more than ever. In 2008, the Falls Free® State Coalitions and Falls Prevention Workgroup requested that a national Falls Prevention Awareness Day be observed. Since then, many states have come together to help solve the problem of public health issues related to fall injuries. The one-day observation expanded to a full week in 2020 and is now known as National Falls Prevention Awareness Week.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Council on Aging (NCOA) have an abundance of resources and information available on their websites to help increase awareness around falls and injury prevention. They provide tips on how to prevent falls, a falls screening tool, and even suggestions for easy home modifications that anyone can do to fall proof their home!
Partners’ Community Wellness team offers numerous evidence-based workshops in the community and online that focus on falls prevention. This valuable resource helps older adults prevent falls and reduce the fear of falling – all while having fun. More Information Here. To learn about how your team can refer individuals to Partners’ Community Wellness Programs, contact Christy Lau at clau@picf.org.
Falls prevention is a team effort and everyone has a role to play in reducing falls risk. We are proud of our continuous contributions to ensuring the safety of older adults at home.
