The New York State Office for the Aging is using Fall Prevention Awareness Week to remind older adults and caregivers about free resources designed to reduce injuries and help people remain independent.
The agency says its public-private partnerships include Vivo, an evidence-based strength and exercise program that provides live, interactive small-group training. Unlike a prerecorded video, the program lets participants work directly with an instructor while tracking outcomes related to strength and balance.
New York’s partnership with Vivo now reaches 16 counties and has served more than 1,000 older adults through several delivery formats. The state says nearly 1,300 small-group classes have been held, along with about 150 large livestream classes and almost 200 classes at senior centers for people who prefer an in-person community setting.
Older adults can also use GetSetUp for free online classes, including a Fall Prevention Awareness series. The courses cover balance and strength exercises, ways to reduce the risk of falling and strategies for living without fear of falls. Hundreds of other online classes are also available to New York residents through the program.
The Office for the Aging points to four basic prevention steps recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: discuss fall risks and medications with a health care provider, stay physically active to build leg strength and balance, get an annual eye exam and remove clutter or other tripping hazards from the home.
Additional fall-prevention information and links to the state’s aging-technology partnerships are available through the New York State Office for the Aging at aging.ny.gov.
