Coshocton Walgreens emphasized fall prevention on senior day
Representatives from Area Agency on Aging in Cambridge came to the Coshocton Walgreens on Tuesday, Aug. 7 to talk with area seniors about fall prevention. Pictured from left: James A. Endley, executive director/CEO, Nic Carey, director of Coshocton County Coordinated Transportation, Carol Baker, outreach communication officer, and Benjamin Renner, store manager at Walgreens in Coshocton.
COSHOCTON – Falling is the number one cause of death in the state of Ohio. On Aug. 7, the Coshocton Walgreens celebrated senior day with special guests from Cambridge’s Area Agency on Aging Region 9 who talked with older adults visiting the store that day about fall prevention.
“We have been handing out information on the Matter of Balance Program which is an eight-week workshop about falls,” said Carol Baker, outreach communication officer, AAA9. “We are constantly running Matter of Balance workshops at the senior center. We also have information here on Coshocton County Coordinated Transportation and the senior center. There are a lot of resources out there they [seniors] may not know about.”
They also educated seniors on the SteadyU website, aging.ohio.gov/steadyu, where you can take a falls risk self-assessment.
“There are so many different outcomes of falls,” said Baker. “Being in the home environment is actually a higher risk of having a fall because you’re so used to the layout and you’re not really aware of the environment around you.”
Some of the risks in your home may include cords, tripping over rugs, tripping over pets in the home, or getting up too quickly.
“Believe it or not, getting up too quickly from bed in the morning can cause some people to fall,” said Baker. “We advise people to sit up on the edge of the bed, get the blood flowing, and get their bearings before attempting to stand.”
Part of the Matter of Balance workshop is to give people an opportunity to look at your house in a whole new light.
Medications can also have side effects such as dizziness that can lead to falling.
“There are so many different medications out there that will treat what you have but not cause dizziness,” said Baker. “We urge people to talk with their doctor about finding other medications that will work for them.”
Falling can also give people a new fear of leaving the home and may lead to isolation.
“Older people can have a lot of breaks,” said Baker. “Their risk is higher because of osteoporosis. They’re slower to heal. Once you’ve fallen, you have a fear of getting out and doing what you’re used to. The person starts staying at home because of fear of falling again. It’s a natural fear because once you’ve fallen, you’re a little skittish about it.”
Cambridge AAA9 is hoping to do this again in the future with other Walgreens in their region. The Coshocton store was chosen by the Cambridge AAA9 due to the city’s aging population. The program was in partnership between Walgreens across the state and the Ohio Department of Aging.
Category: Business
