preventing falls in your communityGetting Started
An easy first step is to spread the message that falls are preventable. Use the information on this website to raise awareness and educate older adults and professionals that falls are not a normal part of getting older.
Falls Data in Your Community
More than one-third of individuals 65 and older fall each year in the United States, with 10% of those falls resulting in serious injury. Minnesota has the third highest unintentional fall death rate in the country. Falls are the number one cause of all trauma care in Minnesota hospitals.
Review the data on falls in your local community and Minnesota.
- For a summary, review the Introduction PPT
- For county level mortality data, visit CDC wonder at: http://wonder.cdc.gov. Click on: Mortality-underlying cause of death
- For state mortality data, visit WISQARS at http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/wisqars
- For county level hospital data, visit MIDAS at http://www.health.state.mn.us/injury/midas
Bringing Partners Together
- Identify agencies and individuals who have an interest in preventing falls. Some ideas are listed below.
- Complete a community inventory of fall prevention programs and services, identify gaps in programs and services, and develop a plan to fill the gaps.
- Develop strategies to reduce and prevent falls. Learn what others in Minnesota are doing. Showcase of Minnesota Models
- Be sure to include older adults in your planning activities.
- Learn about Creative Best Practice Community Partnerships at Creative Best Practice Community Partnerships
- Visit the Fall Prevention Center of Excellence at http://www.stopfalls.org/grantees_info/index.shtml
| Agencies | Individuals |
|---|---|
Area Agency on Aging |
Geriatric nurse practioners |
Getting the Tools in Place
Next, learn the evidence-based interventions that work and steps to implement them. Useful information can be found at the Fall Prevention Center of Excellence and Center for Healthy Aging.