Broome County Falls Prevention Program [SPONSORED]

My dad has always been a very proud man. Once a draftsman and engineer for New York State, he’s now resigned to a much slower paced life as he’s been left unable to work because of the effects of his cancer.

My dad is someone who has always loved to walk and that’s something that he hasn’t given up. Dad refuses to sit in the house and let life waste away. And so, he walks and walks and walks.

My parents live in a busy neighborhood, similar to the busyness of downtown Binghamton and it terrifies us whenever dad decides he’s going to go on one of his several blocks walks because he’s very unsteady on his feet. Sometimes one of us will trail along and keep an eye out, but dad likes his independence and being the proud man that he is, he wants to do things on his own. And who can blame him? Cancer stole so much from him that he has every right to want to hold on to his walks.

Did you know that every 11 seconds, an older adult is treated in the emergency room because of a fall? Falls taken by older adults is such a huge concern that this Thursday, September 22nd, is the 9th Annual Falls Prevention Day, a day to raise awareness about how to prevent fall-related injuries among older adults.

If you’ve got a loved one who isn’t very steady on their feet, but who still wants their independence, you might be interested to know that the YMCA of Broome County offers a Falls Prevention program which might put your mind and theirs at ease.

The Falls Prevention program at the YMCA is an evidence-based program that will greatly reduce your loved one’s chances of falling using the principals and movements of Tai Chi. 1 in 3 adults over the age of 65 will fall at least once a year, but by partnering with the health department, the YMCA’s Falls Prevention program has reduced the number of fall-related trips to local emergency rooms.

If you’d like to learn more about the YMCA of Broome County’s Falls Prevention program, reach out to Alicia Harper at 607-770-9622 ext. 420.

[via YMCA of Broome County/National Council on Aging]