DPHHS program helps elderly reduce falls

Department of Public Health and Human Services officials say that every 11 seconds in the United States an older adult ends up in the emergency room as a result of a fall.

In fact, in a recent report about the burden of falls in Montana, falls are the third leading cause of accidental deaths for older adults in the state.

According to DPHHS Falls Prevention Program Manager Melissa Dale, falls can have lasting consequences on the elderly. “Falls can result in a variety of injuries in adults aged 65 years and older, including hip fractures and head trauma,” Dale said.

The Falls Prevention Program offers a falls prevention workshop called Stepping On.

Stepping On is a seven-week, evidence-based falls prevention program that reviews how to build and maintain physical strength and balance, how to choose proper footwear and how to make lifestyle modifications to remain safe in and out of the home.

The program is open to older adults or anyone with a fear of falling, who live independently in their own home, and do not rely solely on a walker or wheelchair.

The Stepping On workshops are offered throughout Montana. To find the nearest workshop or for more information about the Falls Prevention Program, please visit http://www.dphhs.mt.gov/publichealth/EMSTS/prevention/falls.

Or contact Dale at 406-444-0959 or [email protected].