GENESEO, N.Y., Sept. 1, 2023 — The Livingston County Office for the Aging will co-host its eighth annual Fall Prevention Workshop event on Friday, September 15, 2023 from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Lakeville Training Grounds, 5939 Stone Hill Road, Lakeville, N.Y.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over three million elderly people – those 65 and older - are treated in emergency departments each year due to falling while over 800,000 are hospitalized for injuries sustained from a fall. Nearly one out of every five falls causes a serious injury such as a broken bone or head injury, resulting in an estimated 32,000 deaths per year. Additionally, studies conclude that the economic impact from falls totaled more than $50 billion in recent years.
The workshop will mark the start of Fall Prevention Awareness Week, which spans September 18-22, and will highlight fall prevention strategies, feature several speakers from the healthcare field, and introduce a new online falls risk assessment tool available at no cost to individuals across the county.
“Falls, with or without injury, carry a heavy quality of life impact,” explained Sue Carlock, Director of the Office for Aging. “A large number of older adults fear falling and, as a result, often limit their activities and social engagements. This workshop is designed to empower older adults in our community to greatly reduce their risk of falls and improve their quality of life.”
There are several factors that may increase an older adult’s risk of falling including lower body weakness, Vitamin D deficiency, difficulties with walking and general balance, use of medications including sedatives, antidepressants and tranquilizers, vision problems and foot pain or improper footwear. Additionally, hazards around the home may also increase the risk of falling including broken or uneven steps, rugs, clutter and pets.
Attendees will have the opportunity to learn various ways to mitigate the risk of falling. Guest speakers and panelists will be on hand to answer questions and discuss local resources and attendees will be able to learn more about various fall-prevention exercise programs and more.
The workshop is a collaborative effort between the Livingston County Office for the Aging and County Department of Health, Cornell Cooperative Extension, UR Medicine Noyes Health and the Wilmot Cancer Institute, Genesee Valley Health Partnership and Wegmans.
To learn more about this and other programs designed to improve the quality of lives of those aged 65 and older, please visit the Livingston County Office for the Aging website.
About Livingston County:
Founded in 1821, Livingston County, N.Y., is comprised of more than 61,000 residents in 17 towns located across 631 square miles of the Finger Lakes region.
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