SUBMITTED NEWS RELEASE
Providers, caregivers and older adults invited to attend free event,Thursday, Dec. 9
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in every three adults age 65 and older falls each year. In order to provide education to the community on the prevention of falls, students from the University of Nevada, Reno’s Public Health and Aging class, along with Washoe County Senior Services, the Sanford Center for Aging and the University’s Public Health Coalition, are hosting a Falls Prevention Forum from 4:30-6:30 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 9 at the Washoe County Senior Center at 1155 E. Ninth St. in Reno.
The CDC estimates that an older adult is treated in a hospital emergency room for a fall every 18 seconds, and every 35 minutes an older adult dies as a result of a fall-related injury. In fact, among older adults, falls are the leading cause of injury deaths. They are also the most common cause of nonfatal injuries and hospital admissions for trauma. In 2000, direct medical costs of falls totaled just over $19 billion, and this number has only been rising as the aging population increases.
“When older adults fall, it often leads to a loss of independence, reduced mobility and earlier admission to a nursing home,” said Judith Sugar, associate professor at the University of Nevada’s School of Community Health Sciences and professor of the Public Health and Aging class. “But the good news is, through appropriate risk management, falls are preventable.”
This forum aims to raise awareness among older persons, their families and health service providers about the seriousness of falls and ways to reduce fall risk to stay active and independent. Based on the CDC’s four recommended steps, information will be presented on regular physical activity, medication management, vision check-ups and home safety measures. The event is free, open to the public and refreshments will be provided.
For more information, contact Emily Brown at 775-682-8472 or [email protected].
Nevada’s land-grant university founded in 1874, the University of Nevada, Reno has an enrollment of more than 17,000 students. The University is home to one the country’s largest study-abroad programs and the state’s medical school, and offers outreach and education programs in all Nevada counties. For more information, visit http://newsroom.unr.edu.
