Editor’s Note: The following was provided by Fort HealthCare.
Each year, thousands of educators, caregivers, health and aging professionals, and older adults across the country focus their efforts on one goal: preventing falls. That is why Fort HealthCare is collaborating with the National Council on Aging (NCOA) and the Falls Free® Initiative to observe Falls Prevention Awareness Day on September 23, and throughout the entire month of September and October.
Falls are a leading cause of injury for people aged 65 and older, but they are not an inevitable part of aging. There are proven ways to prevent them. Fort HealthCare’s fall prevention screening community events will empower older adults to stay active, independent, and safe in their homes and communities.
Bringa Johnson, Physical Therapist at Fort HealthCare, has an interest in fall prevention, and is helping to coordinate the efforts this year with multiple locations, dates, and times for community members to participate. Bringa describes these screenings as “providing a brief assessment on a person’s risk to have a fall based on questions and physical tests. Based on the initial screenings, less or more further testing can be completed and should not take longer than 10 minutes. Recommendations for further fall prevention can be made based on the screenings.”
These free balance assessments appointments will be offered at various locations starting Wednesday September 13th at Club 55 in Lake Mills and will be offered at four other locations in Fort HealthCare’s service area through October 27th. The schedule of events, addresses, and contact information to make an appointment is below:
- Club 55 (Lake Mills): Wednesday September 13th from 9a-12p – 920-728-2176
- Jefferson Senior Center: Wednesday September 20th from 9a-12p – 920-674-7728
- Cambridge Community Outreach: Wednesday October 11th from 11a-1p – 608-423-8142
- Whitewater Senior Center: Thursday October 12th from 12p-3p – 262-473-0535
- Fort Atkinson Senior Center: Friday October 27th from 8:30a-10a – 920-397-9913
Wisconsin leads the country in the highest rate of deadly falls. Bringa notes, “Wisconsin has the deadliest rate from a fall in the country and I’ve seen the significant physical, emotional and financial effects from falls; all of these have played a role in why I’m passionate on falls screenings and prevention.”
To find out more about Falls Prevention Awareness Day, go to www.ncoa.org/FPAD. For questions about the fall prevention screenings at Fort HealthCare, please contact Bringa by calling 920-563-9357 or by emailing Bringa.Johnson@forthc.com.
About NCOA
The National Council on Aging (NCOA) is the national voice for every person’s right to age well. NCOA empowers individuals with trusted solutions to improve their own health and economic security—and protects and strengthens federal programs that people depend on as they age. Working with a nationwide network of partners, NCOA’s goal is to improve the lives of 40 million older adults by 2030. Learn more at ncoa.org and @NCOAging.
About the Falls Free® Initiative
Led by the National Council on Aging, the Falls Free® Initiative includes 43 states and 70 national organizations, professional associations, and federal agencies working collaboratively to bring education, awareness, and evidence-based solutions to local communities. Falls Free® seeks to provide hundreds of thousands of older Americans with the resources and education needed to reduce their risk of injury. For more information, visit: www.ncoa.org/FallsFreeInitiative.
About Fort HealthCare
Fort HealthCare is committed to improving the health and well-being of our communities, with a vision to be the healthiest community in Wisconsin. As the leading healthcare provider in the region, it is our goal to reach as many members of the community as possible with health and wellness messages, providing tools and resources to help individuals improve their health and quality of life, while collaborating with several partners to positively improve the population’s health overall on a long-term basis. For more information, visit FortHealthCare.com.
