It’s fall, ya’ll! The 9th annual Falls Prevention Awareness Day hosted by the National Council on Aging was observed on September 22 to align with the first day of fall. Last year, 48 states, including the District of Columbia, participated in the event. And even though the day has come and gone, there are still ways you can bring awareness to falls prevention year-round.
According to the National Council on Aging, 1 in 3 Americans, 65 years or older, fall every year. Furthermore, falls are the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries for the same age group. Fortunately, the National Council on Aging claims that, “Through practical lifestyle adjustments, evidence-based programs, and community partnerships, the number of falls among seniors can be reduced substantially.”
So what are some ways that you, as home care agency, can bring awareness to falls prevention in an effort to reduce falls in your patients? Here are a few things to consider:
Host educational events for caregivers/family
One of the best ways to prevent falls is to raise awareness and promote education among patients’ family and caregivers. Hosting occasional educational workshops about falls prevention is a great way to accomplish this. In addition, it promotes your agency and gets you involved in your community.
Falls prevention programs with your state’s Falls Prevention Coalition
Hosting events for patients’ family and caregivers isn’t the only way to spread awareness and education. You can also coordinate falls prevention programs for your patients with your state’s Falls Prevention Coalition. There are so many programs through the coalition available to older adults! Contact your state’s Falls Prevention Coalition leader for more program information available in your area.
Include fall prevention information in orientation booklets
Having falls prevention information in your home care orientation booklets is such an important part of the orientation process! A section for preventing falls is included in all MedForms home health, hospice and other home care templates. You can always customize and add additional falls information should you need to. Keeping this information readily available to your patient, especially during admission, is great for falls prevention, not to mention it’s pertinent for home care compliance.
Falling can be dangerous to older adults, including your patients. However, keeping falls prevention awareness available to your patients and their families can help reduce the risk. Whether you’re hosting educational events or adding additional information to your orientation booklets, you are promoting Falls Prevention Awareness Day all year long!
Want more information on orientation booklets? Contact us today to learn more about how you can develop a home care booklet of your own.
