Healthy Aging Briefing Series:

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Sponsored by The National Council on the Aging
and CareSource
Healthy Aging Briefing Series
Healthy Aging Briefing Series Safe Steps A
Falls Prevention Program for Seniors
WELCOME
This session will begin promptly at 130pm
ESTPlease mute your phonePersonal
introductions are not necessaryThe moderator
will be on the line shortly
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Safe Steps A Falls Prevention Program for
SeniorsAngela D, Mickalide, Ph.D.,
CHESDirector, Education and OutreachNational
Council on the AgingHealthy Aging Briefing
SeriesJune 15, 2006
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Home Safety Council

• The Home Safety Council (HSC) is the only
  national non-profit organization solely dedicated
  to preventing home related injuries that result
  in nearly 20,000 deaths and 21 million medical
  visits on average each year. Through national
  programs, partnerships and the support of
  volunteers, HSC educates people of all ages to be
  safer in and around their homes.

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Home Safety Research
Conducted the largest and most comprehensive
study of injuries at home the State of Home
Safety in America

• Each year, preventable injuries in the home
• Result in nearly 20,000 deaths
• Cause nearly 21 million medical visits
• Are the fifth leading cause of death overall
• Are 2.5 times more likely to cause injury than
  car crashes
• Cost our nation up to 380 billion
• Cost employers up to 38 billion
• Commissioned by the Home Safety Council and
  conducted by the
• University of North Carolinas Injury and
  Prevention Research
• Center

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Home Safety Research
State of Home Safety in America

• Leading causes of home injury death
• Falls
• Poisoning
• Fires / Burns
• Choking
• Drowning
• Falls accounted for one-third of home
• injury deaths, an average of nearly
• 6,000 deaths per year among all ages
  

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Fall-Related Injuries Among Older Adults in the
Home

• Overall, one in three persons aged 65 and older
  falls every year in the United States.
• More than 50 percent of all fatal and nonfatal
  falls occur in the home.
• Nearly 1.2 million adults at least 65 years
• of age are treated in hospital emergency
  departments due to a fall-related injury
• that occurs in the home each year.

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Cost of Fall-Related Injuries

• From 1997-2001 falls were the highest cause of
  medical care costs from unintentional home
  injuries, with an average annual cost of 100
  billion.
• Falls account for 45 of the total costs of all
  medically treated unintentional home injuries.

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Home Injury Public Opinion Research

• Nearly half of all Americans surveyed (47
  percent) are unaware that falls are the leading
  cause of unintentional home injury deaths.
• 4 in 10 Americans (41 percent) report a family
  member has been injured by a fall in the home.
• 2/3 of Americans (65 percent) agree that
• the federal government should fund injury
• prevention research for seniors.

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Opinion Research Findings

• More than 1/3 Americans (36 percent) took none of
  the major steps last year to reduce falls in the
  home.
• The three actions Americans took most often last
  year to reduce falls in the home were
• 43 added nightlights in rooms and hallways
• 39 cleared walkways and floors of clutter and
  cords
• 32 installed non-slip mats/decals in bathrooms

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Home Injury Public Opinion Research

• The three actions Americans took least often last
  year to reduce falls in the home were
• 14 added dual-tape, rug liners and non-skid
  backing to area rugs
• 15 installed grab bars in the bathroom
• 17 added lighting at the top and bottom of
  stairs

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• What the Home Safety Council is doing to address
  this problem

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The Home Safety Councils Safe Steps Program
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Safe Steps Falls Prevention Program

• Promotes three proven falls prevention
  strategies in one multifaceted program
• - home modifications
• - medication tracking
• - promotion of physical activity

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Safe Steps Key Messages

• Exercise Daily Using your muscles helps
• maintain balance, strength and flexibility. Try
• Tai Chi, walking, water aerobics, or dancing.
• Bathroom Safety Install grab bars in your
• shower stall and near a toilet. Never use
• towel racks for balance they can easily
• come loose, causing a fall.

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Safe Steps Key Messages

• Non-skid Rugs Remove throw rugs, or use rubber
  backing or apply double-faced adhesive
• carpet tape to the backs of all area rugs and
• runners to prevent slipping, or remove them.
• Handrails Install handrails on both sides
• of all stairways making sure you have
• lights at the top and bottom of the stairs.

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Safe Steps Key Messages

• Review Medications The medications you take
  even the foods you eat can affect your balance.
  Check with your doctor or pharmacists annually
  to review your medications and your diet plan.
• Footwear Its best to wear thin, non-slip soled
  shoes, not thick-soled jogging shoes.

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Dissemination of Safe Steps

• 11,000 Senior Centers in 2005
• 5,000 centers (Phase 1)
• 6,000 centers (Phase II, courtesy of Juno
  Lighting)
• Home Safety Council Expert Members
• Conferences
• Falls Free Summit
• Joint Conference of NCOA/ASA

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Lifetime Learning Systems Evaluation of Safe
Steps

• Conducted Safe Steps evaluation among staff in
  5,000 senior centers (Phase I) and 341 Visiting
  Nurses Associations in January 2005
• Data collected using surveys and reply cards
  included in the Safe Steps packets
• Safe Steps reached 14,500 senior center
• directors/program managers/visiting nurses
• and 310,850 senior center attendees

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Ratings of Safe Steps Program

• 93 percent usage rate (68 percent already used
  and 25 percent intended to use later on)
• On a five-point scale (1 poor, 5 excellent),
  components of Safe Steps were rated highly
• Video (4.5 average)
• Home Assessment Chart (4.2 average)
• Wall Poster (4.21 average)
• Medication Tracker (3.99 average)

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Safe Steps Dissemination Research

• University of North Carolina received a
  three-year grant from the Centers for Disease
  Control and Prevention
• Grant entitled, Safe Steps An Evaluation of
  Dissemination, Adoption and Implementation of an
  Older Adult Falls Prevention Program
• HSC staff serve as a consultant and
• Chair of the Technical Advisory Board

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Study Aims

• Assess the needs for and barriers to adoption of
  Safe Steps at community-based senior centers
• Examine the effectiveness of an enhanced
  dissemination strategy, compared with a mail-out
  only strategy, in promoting senior center
  adoption of Safe Steps and
• Identify organizational and individual level
• factors associated with adoption and
• implementation of Safe Steps.

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Research Methodology

• Two distinct research approaches
• A needs assessment to examine senior centers
• perceived needs and barriers in relation to
  adopting
• and implementing Safe Steps and
• A randomized trial to determine the most
  effective
• approach for dissemination of Safe Steps to
• ensure its adoption and implementation.

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Future Directions in Senior Safety

• Expanded distribution of the Safe Steps program
  through various seniors organizations and
  national associations, particularly those
  reaching frail older adults.
• National omnibus poll to better understand the
  steps that adult caregivers (relatives or
  in-laws) of older adults takes to ensure their
  safety in the home (e.g., falls, poisoning, fires
  and burns).
• Continued participation in Falls Free Coalition.
• (Workshop session on Friday, March 17, 1030 am
  to 1200 pm in Grand Ballroom D, Marriott)
• Development, implementation and evaluation of
• programs in all risk areas for older adults
  (poisoning,
• fire and burns, drowning, airway obstruction).

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Additional Information

• Please contact
• Angela Mickalide, Ph.D., CHES
• Director of Education and Outreach
• Home Safety Council
• 1250 Eye Street, NW, Suite 1000
• Washington, DC 20005
• 202-330-4907
• angela.mickalide_at_homesafetycouncil.org
• www.homesafetycouncil.org

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QU QUESTIONS? ESTIONS? QUESTIONS??
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Dont Forget Your Free Copy of Aging in Stride
Dont Forget Your Free Copy of Aging in Stride
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Briefing Series a complimentary copy of the book,
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