Masonicare Screening Follows Successful Health District Fall-Prevention Initiative

By John Voket

Following a successful fall-prevention initiative introduced by the Newtown Health District earlier this year, Masonicare at Newtown is stepping up with a free balance screening offered to members of the community.

Unintentional falls are the leading injury-related reason for why people seek emergency care, with almost nine million visits occurring each year, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

And Health District Director Donna Culbert knows that many seniors and baby boomers experience dizziness (vertigo) or balance problems. Falling is also a concern, especially with winter coming or if a person lives alone.

“Besides the obvious threat of serious injuries, a fall affects a person’s confidence and quality of life,” Ms Culbert told The Newtown Bee this week.

Masonicare at Newtown is partnering with Rehabilitation Associates of Connecticut to offer a free screening at a Rehabilitation Open House Monday, December 13, from 1 to 4 pm. The screenings, which take approximately 15 minutes, can provide valuable information to help improve balance and help participants minimize the risk of falling.

Masonicare’s team of health care professionals, which includes a certified vestibular rehab therapist, provides a full complement of in- and out-patient physical, occupational, and speech therapy services at Masonicare at Newtown.

There will also be education and information available that explains how falls can be prevented and how simple strategies can help individuals with their balance.

Earlier this year, Ms Culbert applied for and received a $4,000 Community Block Grant administered through the state Department of Public Health. Part of the district’s programming, which also involved the member towns of Bridgewater and Roxbury, was additionally supplemented by a $1,200 Rural Public Health grant.

The program incorporated a talk by Drug Center of Newtown Pharmacist Richard Gubbiotti, who helped educate local seniors about how the types of medication they take could affect their coordination and balance, - contributing to falls.

Vision screening was offered by Dr Joseph Young, and an eight-week course in the ancient martial art of tai chi was provided through the Newtown Senior center for qualified residents.

“That program was so successful, the senior center decided to keep our instructor Donna Calvey on, and she has been teaching a tai chi class there ever since,” Ms Culbert said.

The New Milford VNA provided its public health nurse and physical therapist, who spoke about home safety, proper footwear to help minimize fall risks, and even self-assessment advice so participants could correct possible fall risk factors on their own at home.

“Since there are so many different risk factors, we wanted to offer a variety of programs,” Ms Culbert said. “Most of these programs also had the support of the Newtown VNA who helped with balance assessment at our senior center.”

At the national level, Dr Sandra Schneider, president of the American College of Emergency Physicians, said, “It is important to look around your everyday environment and minimize the risk to not only for yourself, but for others as well. There is a reason that unintentional falls are common injuries with our patients. They can happen at any time, any place, and happen to anyone.”

According to the American College of Emergency Physicians:

 *Falls are the leading cause of unintentional home injury deaths, accounting for 33 percent of deaths, according the Home Safety Council (HSC).

 *Falls account for more than 40 percent of nonfatal injuries (HSC).

 *The two highest risk age groups are children under 5 and older adults over 70 years old.

 *For children, the most severe falls are generally associated with baby walkers, windows, and play equipment, including trampolines.

 *For older adults, falls are associated with lower-body weakness, problems with balance and walking, visual impairment, chronic illness, or a history of stroke.

“A fall can be a sentinel event in the life of an older person, potentially marking the beginning of a serious decline in function or the symptom of a new or worsening medical condition,” said Dr Schneider. “Identifying the cause of the fall and making appropriate interventions to improve function are as critical as treating injuries if future falls are to be prevented and quality of life and longevity are to be improved.”

Even the fear of falling may be enough to make elderly people more likely to fall, regardless of their actual risk, a recent study reported.

Australian and Belgian researchers followed 500 men and women, aged 70 to 90, for one year. They split the participants into various groups depending on their perceived and actual risks for falling.

While most people had a fairly accurate sense of their chances of falling, about one-third either underestimated or overestimated their risk.

Among the people who were most afraid of falling, nearly 40 percent fell at least once within a year, even though they were rated to have a low actual risk of falling based on their physical health. The study was published online in the medical journal, BMJ.

The authors said doctors should take patients’ fears of falling into consideration when recommending what might help in preventing future injuries.

“The inclusion of psychological and cognitive factors should improve the accuracy of prediction of falls,” they wrote, suggesting therapies to ease anxiety about falling could help some people.

Anyone interested in receiving a free balance screening is invited to Masonicare at Newtown at 139 Toddy Hill Road any time between 1 and 4 pm on December 13. Reservations are not required, and complimentary refreshments will be available during the open house.

For questions, directions or additional information, call the Masonicare HelpLine at 888-679-9997.     

Associated Press content was used in this report.