Friday, November 07, 2014
Elgin St-Thomas Public Health
November is Falls Prevention Month!
Falls are a major concern among older adults and as a result, November is being declared Falls Prevention Month across Southwestern Ontario. Falls are the leading cause of serious injuries in older adults and every year in Ontario one in three older adults will fall.
With a goal to prevent falls, a campaign called Finding Balance is being promoted by a coalition of healthcare professionals in the Southwest region. The four key messages include:
1. Watch Your Step
2. Check Your Medications
3. Speak Up About Dizziness
4. Stay Active
To start, the group has launched a website with resources and educational materials for older adults and healthcare professionals located at http://www.findingbalanceontario.ca/.
Research shows that falls are the result of several risk factors, one of which is age. As people age, they are more likely to lose their balance, fall and suffer an injury – often with devastating consequences.
Falls are a serious and growing problem for Ontarians. In 2012, it was reported that falls accounted for 85% of injuries resulting in hospitalizations and are related to 40% of nursing home admissions. The costs to our health care system are significant, however they are small when compared to the impact a fall has on the independence and quality of life of an older adult.
The Finding Balance campaign focuses on increasing awareness about proven interventions, such as improving health and fitness, making one’s home safer, reviewing medications and speaking up about dizziness.
For more information:
Finding Balance was originally developed at the University of Alberta’s School of Public Health and has been adapted for use in Southwestern Ontario.
Media Contact:
Elgin St Thomas Public Health
519-631-9900
estph@elginhealth.on.ca
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