Fall Prevention Programs Save Lives

Strive Fall Prevention Programs Can Save a Life

For older Americans, the risk and fear of falling create dangerous qualify of life issues. At least 25,000 older adults die each year as result of falls. Our fall prevention programs help develop confidence, strength, and balance for:

Older community members

Nursing home residents

Seniors in assisted living

Strength, confidence and balance, reduce the likelihood they’ll experience a fall. An older American falls every second each day. It’s the leading cause of death for elderly. It’s also the leading cause of nonfatal injury. Approximately 10% of falls lead to serious injury – like bone fractures – requiring hospitalization. Many of these injuries require more than a year in a long-term care facility for recovery. In some cases, an older person who falls, never fully-recovers, and is unable to return to living alone.

What are Risk Factors of Falling?

Surprisingly, fear of falling is one of the biggest predictors someone will experience a fall. Other risk factors include:

• Physical issues like muscle weakness, balance problems, vision changes, or loss of feeling in the feet
• Medications and the resulting side effects or interactions
• Drinking alcohol
• Environmental factors like poor lighting, cluttered space, or lack of support bars/railings
• Risky behavior like jumping, or using a chair instead of a step stool

In most cases, at least two risk factors are involved, causing a fall. Once a fall occurs, a person is between two and three times more likely, to experience another fall. In addition to the damage of falls, studies found that fear of falling can create a drastic reduction in quality of life for older Americans.

When someone is afraid to fall, they cut back on physical activity. This decreases their ability to get around. As a result, they socialize less often and become depressed. Their lack of movement increases the likelihood of a future fall, as muscle and balance deteriorate. This cycle continues.

Strive fall prevention programs help older community members understand:

What causes falling
Which risk factors affect them
What they can do for prevention

They provide practical strategies that:

• Increase activity levels
• Improve day-to-day functionality
• Reduce the fear of falling

Many elderly Americans think of falling as uncontrollable or inevitable. Fall prevention aims to reverse that perception. Providing education and awareness, participants learn about their own fall risks, including:

• Poor diet
• Alcohol use
• Medication side effects
• Incontinence
• Osteoporosis

They discover aspects of their environment that increase risk of falling. Then learn ways to change their environment. As a result, they minimizing the risk of falling.

Participants learn to set realistic goals. They figure out how to increase their functional strength, endurance, and balance through exercise. Boosting activity levels has the added benefit of improving mood and decreasing depression. 

What is the Format of Fall Reduction Programs?

Strive fall prevention programs are offered in small group format. This allows participants to share experiences, knowledge, and fears. A qualified instructor tailors each class to help participants understand their unique fall risks. They develop strategies to overcome those risks.

The class aims to develop health and fitness through:

• Low impact dynamic/static balancing
• Strength training
• Stretching

This helps each member improve physical fitness in ways likely to prevent falls. A prime goal of fall prevention is helping participants shift from negative to positive thinking patterns. It aims to help them see a fresh perspective.

Instructors use a range of techniques in this process, including:

Group discussion
Problem-solving
Skill building
Assertiveness training
Exercise training
Sharing practical solutions
Cognitive restructuring 

Who are Strive Fall Prevention Instructors?

Strive fall prevention instructors have obtained an Occupational Therapist Degree, Balance Training Certification, or Silver Sneakers Training Certification. They’ve attended at least eight hours of coach training, by a Master Trainer, earning additional certification. Many have educational and healthcare experience.

Skilled at working with older adults, they have excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Strive instructors bring enthusiasm and technical knowledge. They get your residents feeling comfortable and capable, performing range-of-motion, and low-level endurance exercises.

When you add fall prevention programs to your wellness program, we’ll assign a Project Manager to you. Every step of the way, you’ll be in good care.

Your Strive project manager will:

Assign prescreened instructors and coordinate facilities
Assist with program marketing and engagement
Get participants enrolled online (or on a sign-up sheet)
Distribute and collect electronic liability waivers
Streamline billing and administration

What about Liability Coverage?

Strive has comprehensive liability insurance, with workers compensation and a provision of services. This indemnifies your organization of all risk. Strive can implement Fall Prevention Programs on a local, regional, or nationwide basis. You can add additional services like Strive fitness classes and personal training to your wellness initiative.

Strive Onsite Stretching and Tai Chi for Balance are great complements to fall prevention programs. Every element of your initiative will be handled by your Strive project manager. We’ll keep the process as simple as possible.

Strive simplifies wellness!