Falls are not an inevitable part of aging, falls are preventable!
Fall Prevention Handbook & Resource Directory
2011
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About Us The Northern Virginia Fall Prevention Coalition (NVFPC) is a 501c3, not-for-profit organization dedicated to reducing the growing number of falls and fall-related injuries among older adults throughout Virginia. The Coalition was formed in November 2008 to promote a new era of collaboration between members, including health care providers, community service providers, government agencies, and local business owners who serve the aging population every day. The NVFPC conducts free fall prevention seminars and distributes thousands of pieces of fall prevention
literature throughout the year to heighten public awareness to this issue, and to promote the effectiveness of prevention measures. The NVFPC follows the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) Preventing Falls program, a nationwide initiative that advocates the creation of community based organizations to educate the public about fall prevention. To learn more about the NVFPC or to find the next seminar near you visit our website: www.nvfpc.org
4 things YOU can do to prevent falls 1. Begin a regular exercise program Exercise is one of the most important ways to lower your chances of falling. It makes you stronger and helps you feel better. Exercises that improve balance and coordination (like Yoga or Tai Chi) are the most helpful. Lack of exercise leads to weakness and increases your chances of falling. Ask your doctor or health care provider about the best type of exercise program for you. 2. Have your health care provider review your medicines Have your doctor or pharmacist review all the medicines you take, even over-the-counter medicines. As you get older, the way medicines work in your body can change. Some medicines, or combinations of medicines, can make you sleepy or dizzy and can cause you to fall. 3. Have your vision checked Have your eyes checked by an eye doctor at least once a year. You may be wearing the wrong glasses or have a condition like glaucoma or cataracts that limits your vision. Poor vision can increase your chances of falling.
4. Make your home safer About half of all falls happen at home. To make your home safer: • Remove things you can trip over (like papers, books, clothes, and shoes) from stairs and places where you walk. • Remove small throw rugs or use double-sided tape to keep the rugs from slipping. • Keep items you use often in cabinets you can reach easily without using a step stool. Have grab bars put in next to your toilet and in the tub or shower. • Use non-slip mats in the bathtub and on shower floors. • Improve the lighting in your home. As you get older, you need brighter lights to see well. Hang light-weight curtains or shades to reduce glare. • Have handrails and lights put in on all staircases. • Wear shoes both inside and outside the house. Avoid going barefoot or wearing slippers.
Tips for Exercising • Wear comfortable clothes and shoes • Drink water before and after exercise • Do exercises slowly and gently • If you feel pain, STOP that exercise and discuss it with your doctor before resuming • If you feel breathless or dizzy, STOP and rest
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To take your medication safely you need to know: • What is the brand and generic name of my medication? • Why do I need to take this medication? • How do I take this medication? • What are the side effects of this medication?
• What should I do if I run out of this medication? • Where should I store this medication? • What do I do with medication I don’t need anymore? • Who do I talk to when I have a problem or question?
It takes a moment, just a moment to change a life forever. Anne Blackstone, MSPT, Certified by the American Institute on Balance Inova Loudoun Hospital, Pediatric and Adult Rehabilitation Center • 703-858-6667 One of every three adults 65 years old and older falls each year. Falls are the leading causes of injury deaths in this age group. Approximately 50% of those hospitalized for fall-related hip fractures cannot return home or live independently after their injuries. (Centers for Disease Control, 2009.) Many report, “it happened so quick,” it was just a moment. Balance is an integral part of every day activities most people take for granted, such as getting dressed, walking to the car, and reaching into a cabinet. Just about everything we do throughout the day requires some element of balance control. Most people don’t even think about it…. Until there is a problem. Suddenly even the simplest of tasks become difficult, and in some cases terrifying. What can you do to make sure this doesn’t happen to you? Your risk for falls depends on several factors, the first of which is medication management. A common side effect of many medications is drowsiness and/or light-headedness. Interactions between medications, even over-the counter medications may produce these symptoms as well. Be sure to have an annual check of your medications by your doctor or pharmacist to ensure you are not at risk for side effects that may increase your risk for falls. Additionally, effective balance control relies on information from three balance sensory systems; the eyes, the inner ear (Vestibular System), and the muscles/joints of the body. The brain receives this information and coordinates the body’s movements necessary to maintain balance. Participation in a balance focused exercise program prescribed to you by a balance specialist will help your body to capitalize on its stronger balance sensory systems, and work to train their less effective ones. You should also have an annual vision check to ensure accurate visual input. Furthermore, participation in a daily exercise/walking program will help to ensure you maintain adequate range of motion and strength in your legs to ensure that your body can respond efficiently to any challenges to balance you may encounter. Finally, ensure your home environment is not placing you at an increased risk for falls. Remove any loose items
from the floor such as clothes/shoes or throw rugs that you can easily trip over. Install grab bars in bathrooms when indicated, and make sure your hallways and stairwells have adequate lighting. It only takes a moment to act today and reduce your risk of falling tomorrow. It only takes a moment, which will be yours? LivingSourceAd-33x16-OL.pdf 3/16/11 3:41:00 PM
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Open Your Eyes to Fall Prevention Dr. Peyam Mojallal • pmojallal@mojvision.org • 703-723-3433
As our body matures there are many changes to our eyes and vision which can put us at increased risk for falls. These changes can be as a result of disease or just normal age related changes. Some of the changes can be corrected easily, while others require lifestyle or environmental modifications. However, it is extremely important not to ignore any of the changes because many times falls can be a life changing incident. The following table presents many of the common age related vision changes which can occur and what can be done about them. It is not meant to act as a diagnostic instrument, nor take the place of regular visits to your eye doctor. The minimum eye exam frequency for people over the age 50 is once a year. Condition
What to expect
What can be done
Decrease in contrast sensitivity
Colors appear washed out, hard to tell Increase lighting in hallways and other arthe edges of steps or curbs. eas. Do not use similar shades of colors on walls and floors
Decrease in vision (near or far)
Objects appear more blurry and the Update your glasses prescription. Make edges of steps are less defined. Double sure there is plenty of light in your home vision.
Glaucoma
Loss of peripheral visual field. Can eas- See your eye doctor to treat glaucoma ily miss objects on the ground or to your to prevent further visual field loss and for side. mobility options.
Macular Degeneration
Loss of central visual field. Difficulty see- See your eye doctor to treat macular deing details of objects directly in front of generation and for mobility options you. Waviness or distortion of objects. Double vision.
Diabetic Eye Disease
Loss of central or peripheral visual field. See your eye doctor and endocrinologist Objects become blurry. Edges of stairs to control your blood sugar. become blurry. Double vision.
Vitreal Floaters
Moving shadows which follow your gaze. See your eye doctor, most cases are beMay appear as though a mouse ran in nign and nothing serious. front of you or a fly you can never catch.
Retinal Detachment
Double vision. Sudden partial vision loss See your eye doctor immediately. on one side of your visual field. Flashes of lights. Sudden haziness either partially or completely blocking your vision.
Macular Hole
Sudden loss of detail vision. Distortion or See your eye doctor immediately. waviness of vision.
NVFPC Board of Directors
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Tony Schaffer Chairman chair@nvfpc.org 703-470-5747
Angela Domer Special Projects Chair specialprojects@nvfpc.org 703-728-5076
Rachelle Conde Fundraising Chair fundraising@nvfpc.org 540-270-9468
Becky Schaffer Membership Chair membership@nvfpc.org 703-475-3044
Donald Kissinger Legislative Chair legislative@nvfpc.org 703-992-7420
Tim Moore Treasurer treasurer@nvfpc.org 571-283-1328
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Companionship Services, Home Helper Services and Personal Care Services.
Our goal at State of the Art Physical 1:01:28 PM Therapy is to restore you to your previous level of function by specializing in Post-Surgical Rehabilitation, Orthopedics and Manual Therapy.
◆ Flexible schedules up to 24 hrs. ◆ Serving Loudoun County plus Herndon, Reston, & Great Falls since 2002
571-258-0111
www.visitingangels.com
State Licsenced/Bonded/Insured
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Note from the Chairman
Another year has passed and the Northern Virginia Fall Prevention Coalition’s (NVFPC) message “Falls are NOT an inevitable part of aging, falls are preventable!” continues to gain momentum. This 501c3 grass roots organization formed in November of 2008, and as of this publication spans 9 Virginia counties. Our unique approach to addressing falls suffered by our elder Virginians has fostered a new environment of cooperation between organizations serving elder Virginians and their families. Regional hospitals, physicians, nonprofit organizations, Area Agencies on Aging, rehabilitation centers, home care/home health care agencies and senior living communities all stand together in addressing this growing health concern. The following statistics provided by the Division of Injury Prevention highlight the importance of our work. Between 2004 and 2008: • 1,613 Virginians over the age of 65 died as a result of a fall. • There were over 60,000 hospitalizations as a result of a fall. • Hospital costs alone were 1.6 billion dollars. We carried this report to the 2011 Virginia General Assembly in Richmond and the positive response we received indicates further support for this initiative by our
elected officials in the coming year. The NVFPC’s mission is to give every Virginian the opportunity to learn about fall prevention initiatives in their community, and what they can do to prevent a fall. Planning is underway for the NVFPC to provide; fall risk assessment screenings, exercise programs, vision screenings, medication reviews, and home safety assessments in the community. The NVFPC membership has stepped up to provide these crucial services at a time when government is cutting back on services. This is an exciting time as a forum, facilitated by the Virginia Department of Health, Division of Injury Prevention, will be held in Charlottesville to discuss the formation of a statewide coalition with other like minded groups from across the state. We applaud their efforts to hold this important forum. I am very proud of this organization’s achievements and challenge you to help make a difference in our community by spreading the word that “Falls are NOT an inevitable part of aging, falls are preventable!” Contact us and see how you can help make a difference. www.nvfp.org Tony Schaffer, Chairman of the Northern Virginia Fall Prevention Coalition
Join the NVFPC Today! Membership fees are $150.00 per year for for-profit organizations; $75.00 for government and non-profit organizations. NEW MEMBERS ONLY: Please add a onetime processing fee of $25.00. To register and pay online go to www.nvfpc.org Complete all the required information in the form. To Register and pay online go to nvfpc.org. Questions? Please contact Becky Schaffer at 703-475-3044 or email membership@nvfpc.org Type of Business: *
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*required Make checks payable to: 8
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Mail to: NVFPC, P.O. Box 4184, Leesburg, VA 20177
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Reducing Falls With Those Who Have Dementia Nancy Dezan, Executive Director, Alzheimer’s Family Day Center Joan is a tiny, 75 year old woman with Alzheimer’s disease who enjoys sitting quietly in her big, overstuffed chair. Hearing laughter outside her room, Joan moves to stand up and join the revelry. In doing so, however, she forgets to uncross her legs and Joan falls to the floor, injuring her arm. An hour later, Joan has no memory of the fall and no clue as to why she is experiencing pain. Incidents like these are all too common among those with dementia. In fact, individuals with Alzheimer’s disease experience more than twice the rate of falls compared to others in their age group. Once the fall has occurred, these individuals are also more likely to suffer a serious injury and have more difficulty recovering. Why? The brain damage that occurs with Alzheimer’s and related diseases can cause a multitude of factors that contribute to the risk of falling. Even in the earliest stages
of the disease, individuals complain of difficulty with balance and coordination. They may frequently bump into furniture or have the feeling of falling when climbing a staircase. Visual perception is compromised, and the individual may not recognize cracks in the sidewalk or a small pet in their path. Many of the medications used to reduce anxiety or calm agitation, have side effects that cause poor balance, restlessness and rigidity. The common dementia symptoms of poor judgment combined with impulsive behavior can also lead to risky behavior and falling. For the caregiver, prevention is the key. The most successful intervention is to determine the specific cause of the fall. For example, if the fall is the result of sleep medication, the caregiver should focus on changing medication or finding alternate ways to enhance sleep rather than limiting the individual’s daytime mobility due to fear of falling. In fact, regular exercise is one of the best ways to work toward reducing falls with individuals who have dementia. Physical activity helps to reduce agitation and anxiety, enhance cognitive function, develop strength and balance, and improve sleep. Even mild exercise may be one of the best strategies to begin to reduce falls and injuries with those who have dementia.
Fire & Rescue
Joy Dotson, Public Education Specialist, Loudoun County FMO • 703-771-5551 Each year, many people dial 911 for fall related injuries. In 2010, Loudoun County Department of Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services responded to 1,767 calls for residents who had injuries from a fall. Although each call for service is different, the one thing that the majority of these emergencies had in common is the fact that most of them were preventable. Our role as EMS providers is to stabilize the patient on the scene to the best of our ability and safely transport them to the nearest medical facility for treatment. We have a variety of tools to treat fall injuries from basic splinting and back boarding to advanced pain management options as directed by our local protocols and med control. In addition to providing emergency care, our other role as EMS providers is to educate the public as often as possible to the dangers of falls in the home. This can be done through formal sem-
inars and workshops as well as one on one conversation with residents when we are in their homes. No matter what the setting, fire and rescue realizes the impact an injury from a fall can have on someone’s life and we are committed to helping our community in any way we can.
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Member Directory Member Care Management Eldercare Strategies, Inc. DAILY MONEY Management & BILL PAYING Personal Business Matters, LLC Government, Non-Profit And Volunteer AARP Area Agency on Aging Loudoun County Easter Seals Greater Washington Baltimore Region Loudoun Volunteer Caregivers Project Mendahouse Health & Wellness Opening Moves Yoga Home CARE & Home Health Care Advance Home Health Care, LLC Americare Medical Services, Inc BestCare Home Care Care Options, Anne E. O'neil, Inc Comfort Keepers Golden Living At Home Home Instead Manassas Home Instead Arlington Homewatch CareGivers of Falls Church Homewell Senior Care Livinrite Home Health Services Medical Professionals On Call Old Dominion Home Care Right At Home Right At Home Senior Helpers Synergy Home Care of Arlington The Medical Team Thrive at Home Touching Hearts at Home Visiting Angels Home Safety And Improvement Amramp of Northern Virginia Granting-You-Access Schaffer Construction - Designs For Life
web
PHONE
eldercarestrategiesinc.com
703-389-1096
personalbusinessmatters.com
703-283-4753
aarp.org/va loudoun.gov/aaa ncommisso@eseal.org lvcaregivers.org projectmendahouse@msn.com
703-931-0758 703-777-0388 703-597-9622 703-779-8617 703-792-7663
openingmoves.net
703-407-2065
advancehhc.com americaremed.com bestcarehomecare.com careoptionsva.com nova.comfortkeepers.com goldenlivingathome.com homeinstead.com/manassas-va homeinstead.com/arlington-va homewatchcaregivers.com/fairfax assistyouathome.com livinrite.com medprosoncall.com olddominionhomecare.com novawest.rightathome.net nova.rightathome.net seniorhelpers.com synergyhomecare.com medteam .com thriveathome.com touchingheartsva.com visitingangels.com/nova
703-421-2273 703-360-1954 703-497-2273 703-237-9048 703-435-2500 703-218-1841 703-530-1360 703-533-7368 703-992-7420 703-662-7500 703-369-6677 703-273-8818 703-273-0422 571-379-8211 703-538-4584 703-277-9877 703-558-3435 703-332-9387 703-383-9300 703-880-2547 571-258-0111
amramp.com granting-you-access.org schafferconstruction.com
888-994-7267 x703 703-433-0380 703-443-1861
Highlights denote Sponsorship of the Resource Directory
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Member Directory Member Hospice & PALLIATIVE CARE Capital Caring Evercare Hospice and Palliative Care Heartland Hospice Information And Referral Guide to Retirement Living Sourcebook Nursing And Rehabilitation CentErs Birmingham Green Nursing and Rehab Cameron Glen Health and Rehab Gainesville Health and Rehab Healthsouth of Northern Virginia Manassas Health and Rehab Woodbine Rehab and Healthcare Personal Emergency Response A Frame Digital, Inc Closer Care Response Link of Northern VA PhaRmacy Leesburg Pharmacy Real Estate Services Helen Flynn, Weichart Realtors Rehabilitation - Outpatient Inova Healthcare Alexandria Hospital Physical Medicine Inova Loudoun Pediatric & Adult Rehabilitation Ctr. State of the Art Physical Therapy Senior HousinG Birmingham Green - Assisted Living Great Falls Assisted Living Keough Senior Living Morningside House Oak Springs of Warrenton Sommerset Retirement Community Spring Arbor Assisted Living The Hermitage In Northern Virginia The Virginian Senior Move Managers Seniors Living Well Vision Care Acuity Vision Care Lifetime Vision and Contacts PC Low Vision Occupational Therapy
web
PHONE
capitalcaring.org evercarehospice.com hcr-manorcare.com
1-855-571-5700 571-262-5200 703-273-8693
retirement-living.com
800-394-9990
birminghamgreen.org cameronglen-rehab.com gainesville-rehab.com healthsouthnorthernvirginia.com manassas-rehab.com woodbinerehab.com
703-257-0935 703-834-5895 571-248-6100 703-957-2000 703-257-9770 703-836-8838
aframedigital.com closercare.com responselink.com
571-308-0147 703-539-2273 571-449-0556
leesburgpharmacy.com
703-737-3306
helenflynnsells.com
703-328-7187
inova.org inova.org ptbyart.com
703-504-3535 703-858-6667 703-723-5225
birminghamgreen.org greatfallsassistedliving.com ksliving.com morningsidehouse.com oakspringsofwarrenton.com sommersetretirement.com springarborliving.com hermitage-nova.com thevirginian.org
703-257-0935 703-421-0690 703-579-9972 703-777-2777 540-347-4770 703-450-6411 703-777-9300 703-797-3800 703-385-0555
seniorslivingwell.net
703-329-1970
mojvision.org lifetimevisionandcontacts.com lowvisionot@gmail.com
703-723-3433 703-729-8393 703-505-5771
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www.nvfpc.org The Northern Virginia Fall Prevention Coalition (NVFPC) will be holding a FREE Seminar near you SOON! Join us for a fun, informative and interactive presentation by local experts who will teach you what YOU can do now to prevent a fall later, this vital information is for all ages. Visit our website at www.nvfpc.org today to find our next seminar near you or call 703-475-3044
2010 Fall Prevention Summit Inova Loudoun Hospital hosted the NVFPC’s 2nd annual Fall Prevention Summit on October 14th, 2010. Our distinguished lineup of expert speakers engaged the audience throughout the day with presentations on fall related issues including healthy aging, dementia and Alzheimer’s, and traumatic brain injury. Summit attendees included, elected state officials, state and local government agencies, the local Commissions on Aging, clinicians, private healthcare providers, NPO’s, and private citizens. All attendees were invited to participate in an open forum to discuss what steps can be taken to broaden the reach of fall prevention initiatives in our communities and across the state. The event was a major milestone for the NVFPC in spreading our message of cooperation, education and prevention; and calling to action the medical professionals in our community, and local and state law makers. Contact us to find out how you can become a speaker at a NVFPC event www.nvfpc.org
• Do you know how to get up safely if you haven’t broken any bones? • Do you have someone checking on you regularly? • Do you have a personal alarm? • Do you know who to call in case of emergency? • Do you know what steps YOU can take to prevent another fall?
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