CLEARFIELD – Have you ever fallen? If so, were you hurt from the fall? Have you thought about what might happen if you do fall and get hurt? In Pennsylvania, falling is the leading cause of injury-related hospitalizations among adults age 65 and older, with over one-third of all adults over age 65 falling each year.
The risk of falling increases rapidly after the age of 55 for women and the age of 60 for men. Between 20 percent and 30 percent of older adults who fall suffer injuries that reduce their mobility and independence. These injuries include fractures of the hip, spine, or forearm. Half of older adults who suffer a hip fracture are never able to live independently again. Most people want to remain from falls and independent for as long as they can.
The Clearfield County Area Agency on Aging, Inc. and its PrimeTime Health program will be offering the Healthy Steps for Older Adults program, a one-day fall prevention workshop. The purpose of this program is to raise awareness of the risk for falling, assess individuals’ risk of falling, and to provide practical solutions for reducing that risk. This program is free and available to individuals 50 years of age and older. All participants who complete the entire workshop and its activities will receive a $20.00 incentive. Participation is limited so individuals are being asked to sign up now.
The Clearfield Center for Active Living will be conducting its workshop at the Clearfield Salvation Army building located at 119 Byers Street, Clearfield, on April 23. The workshop will run from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. with a break for lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Participants should bring a copy of their current medication list as well as their Access medical card if they have one.
Additional programs will be offered at the Coalport Center for Active Living on Tuesday, April 29, Mahaffey Center for Active Living on Wednesday, April 30, Kylertown Center for Active Living on Thursday, May 1, Karthaus Center for Active Living on Wednesday, May 7, and DuBois Senior and Community Center on Thursday, May 8. Houtzdale Family Service Center will hold their workshop at a soon to be announced date. The times are the same at all locations.
Lunch will be available at the workshop sites. Any individual over the age of 60 may reserve a lunch and contribute to the cost of the meal on a donation basis at any of the centers. For those eating at the five Centers for Active Living, anyone under 60 years of age will be asked to contribute $3.00 toward the cost of the meal. People who are planning to eat a meal that is provided at the workshop site are asked to call at least one day before the date of the program to make a reservation for lunch.
For more information, call your local Center for Active Living or the CCAAA at 765-2696 or 1-800-225-8571. All programs are also listed on the CCAAA Web site.
Programs and services of the Clearfield County Area Agency on Aging, Inc. are funded in part by the Pennsylvania Department of Aging, the Clearfield County Area Agency on Aging, Mature Resources Foundation, and local and client contributions.