Falls Prevention Task Force
Falls are Dane County’s number one cause of injury-related hospitalization, with older adults bearing the brunt of these serious injuries. Research indicates that falls are not an inevitable outcome of aging. Most serious falls can be avoided with preventative medical care and coordinated community support.
Safe Communities, a non-profit safety and injury prevention coalition based in Dane County, convened a Falls Prevention Task Force in January 2007.
Safe Communities has facilitated active participation by 37 task force member organizations (download pdf of task force members) to pursue our goal of reducing falls-related hospitalizations and emergency visits by 10% over three years. Methods we are using to reach this goal are:
- Improving the processes of care for people who have fallen or are at increased risk for falls.
- Enhancing coordination of services for patients at risk between the health care organizations, community organizations, and the ageing network.
- Developing and implementing a Falls Helpline via United Way 2-1-1 so that people at risk can access needed services.
- Implementing a public awareness campaign that highlights the significance of falls and ways to reduce falls.
- Educating of caregivers (physicians, physical and occupational therapists, and nurses) about evidence based evaluation and treatment of people at risk for falls.
- Expanding availability of community-based exercise classes shown to reduce falls risk.
For more information about the Falls Prevention Task Force contact Task Force Chair, Dr. Andy Kosseff, Physician Director of Quality Improvement, St. Mary’s Hospital or Cheryl Wittke, Executive Director, Safe Communities Cheryl Wittke, Safe Communities’ Executive Director at 256-6713.
Falls Prevention Helpline of United Way 2-1-1
One call means complete access to Dane County’s falls prevention services. That’s the goal of the Falls Prevention Helpline of United Way 2-1-1.
Call 2-1-1 for up-to-date information about falls prevention services in Dane County. The Falls Helpline is set up to ensure that when an older adult or concerned family member calls 2-1-1, they can access both community and medical services designed to keep older adults safe and independent.
How the Falls Prevention Helpline of United Way 2-1-1 works:
Falls Prevention Task Force Objectives
Objective 1: Develop communication linkages between and among medical community and aging network service providers that will result in collaboration on effective falls prevention activities. Establish a framework for action via the Falls Prevention Task Force and committees it creates to meet goals. Measure of success/deliverables: Task Force workplan for years one and two that includes performance targets; a three-year goal statement.
Objective 2: Raise the profile of falls as a preventable problem and increase knowledge among older adults and their families about steps to take to reduce risk of falls.
Objective 2.1: Design and implement general awareness campaign theme and approach. Measure of success/deliverables: Print, radio, television public service announcements (PSAs). DaneTrack survey pre-and post campaign to determine impacts.
Objective 2.2: Develop targeted messages and delivery systems to reach at-risk adults with prevention information - eg. leaflets and verbal encouragement about talking with your doctor about preventing falls, to be delivered by meals-on-wheels volunteers and at congregate meal sites. Measure of success/deliverables: We will reach 4,700 Dane County older adults through meal programs. Depending upon targeted message and delivery approach, conduct follow-up surveys to discern impacts.
Objective 2.3: Develop targeted messages and training for medical specialities (eg. vision specialists; nurses in medical clinics)