Siskin Hospital, the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department, and several local agencies have partnered to offer the community a free Falls Prevention Awareness Day and Home Safety event. The event will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 23, at the Hixson Lowe’s on Highway 153 from 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Fall Prevention Chattanooga aims to raise awareness and provide resources for preventing falls. According to Hamilton’s County’s 2012 statistical information, falls were the leading cause of emergency room visits. Over 10,000 unintentional falls were reported at an average individual cost of $36,672 per hospital admission. Nationally, for people age 65+, falls are the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries, with 30-35% of that population experiencing a fall each year.
Tuesday, Sept. 23, is Falls Prevention Awareness Day across the country. This year’s theme is Strong Today- Falls Free ® Tomorrow. The Health Department, Fall Prevention Chattanooga, Siskin Hospital, CABIA, Chattanooga Fire Department, Hixson Lowe’s, UTC School of Nursing, and Life Care Center of Hixson have partnered to offer a Falls Prevention and Home Safety event for older adults, caregivers, service providers, and family members.
This free community event at Lowe’s will offer the following:
- Watch a fall prevention and home safety presentation at 10 a.m.
- Tour home safety stations with UTC Interprofessional Care Teams
- Talk to aging in place specialists about assistive devices
- See a matter of balance demo
- Stop by the fire truck and visit with members of the Chattanooga Fire Department
- Learn about programs and resources available in the community
For more information, call 423 209-8203 or visit www.FallPreventionChattanooga.com.