AGS "Get Up And Go" Falls Prevention Program To Offer Free Falls Risk Screening, Health Education And Information To Older Adults

Main Category: Seniors / Aging
Article Date: 28 Apr 2009 - 7:00 PDT

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More than 20,000 visitors -- of all ages -- flock to Chicago's historic Navy Pier every day. To help ensure that older visitors don't fall, while visiting this leading tourist destination, or elsewhere, the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) and its Foundation for Health in Aging (FHA) will be offering seniors free falls screening, and falls prevention and other senior health information on Saturday, May 2.

AGS and FHA volunteers -- healthcare providers with expertise in caring for older adults -- will also screen older patients at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, and older adults from Northwestern's affiliated senior and community centers for falls risks on Friday, May 1, at the hospital.

The two programs comprise the AGS' and FHA's 2nd Annual "Get up and Go: A Falls Prevention Program." The program coincides with the Society's April 29 - May 2 Annual Scientific Meeting in the Windy City. The meeting is the premier conference on aging research.

More than a third of adults 65 and older fall each year, and falls are the leading cause of injuries -- including fatal injuries -- among older Americans. Screening for and addressing falls risks can help prevent these injuries.

The Navy Pier screening will take place at Gateway Park, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on May 2, and the AGS and FHA are encouraging families to "spend the day with your grandparents" and learn more about elder health during the event. The Northwestern Memorial Hospital screening will run from 12 p.m. to 2:00 pm on May 1, in the Feinberg Pavilion's Krumlovsky Atrium.

AGS and FHA volunteers will screen older adults for risk of falls using a simple test that measures how long it takes to get up from a chair, walk about 10 feet, turn around, and return to the chair. They will also distribute an easy-to-follow FHA "tip sheet" (available at http://www.healthinaging.org/public_education/falls_tips.php) offering older adults and their caregivers advice on preventing falls, and information about the services the organizations provide to older people and their caregivers.

The screening program is a joint project of the AGS Public Education Committee and the AGS/Association of Directors of Geriatric Academic Programs (ADGAP) Education Committee.

About The AGS

Founded in 1942, the American Geriatrics Society (http://www.americangeriatrics.org) is a nationwide, not-for-profit association of geriatrics health care professionals dedicated to improving the health, independence, and quality of life of all older people. The Society supports this mission through activities in clinical practice, professional and public education, research, and public policy. With an active membership of over 6,500 health care professionals, the Society has become a pivotal force in shaping attitudes, policies, and practices in geriatric medicine.

About The FHA

In 1999, the American Geriatrics Society reached beyond its traditional role as a professional medical society and launched the AGS Foundation for Health in Aging (FHA). The FHA aims to build a bridge between geriatrics health care professionals and the public, and advocate on behalf of older adults and their special needs: wellness and preventive care, self-responsibility and independence, and connections to family and community. The FHA champions initiatives in public education, clinical research, and public policy that advance the principles and practice of geriatrics medicine; educate policy makers and the public on the health care needs and concerns of older adults; support aging research that reduces disability and frailty, and improves quality of life and health outcomes; encourage older adults to be effective advocates for their own health care; and help family members and caregivers take better care of their older loved ones and themselves.

Source
American Geriatrics Society