Statewide Falls prevention strategic plan

1. Statewide Falls prevention strategic plan Call to action Coalition Mission: To reduce the risk of falls through partnerships, education and policy. Coalition Vision: Older Ohioans will have fewer falls and fall-related injuries, maximizing their independence and quality of life.

2. 5 goal areas • Education: To improve the fall prevention knowledge and behaviors among seniors and caregivers through community education and awareness efforts. • Infrastructure: To create a sustainable system which identifies needs, existing resources and gaps. • Policy: To provide information to organizational, local and state leaders resulting in legislation, regulations, and policies that address falls prevention interventions. • Intervention/risk assessment: To create an easy and accessible tool box for health care providers, older adults and caregivers to utilize in order to reduce the risk of falls. • Data: To capture quality falls-related data in order to monitor trends.

3. Goal 1: education • Members are asked to use the pre-developed PPt to give presentations to groups within their agency and within their communities. • Members are asked to link their website to the ODH Fall Prevention page if permitted by their agency web policy. • Members are asked to seek out additional agencies and organizations in their communities to involve in local coalitions and local fall prevention promotions and activities. • Members are asked to report their community awareness activities to the Coalition Coordinators so that these activities can be documented and reported as outcomes of the Coalition and the ODH grant funds. • Members are asked to identify county champions in each county – those where members reside, and in neighboring counties if possible. • Members are asked to include fall prevention information and referral sources in their local 211 databases. • Members are asked to begin to draft a list of resources on medication management, fear of falling, sensory impairment, physical activity and mobility, built environment as pertain to seniors.

4. Goal 2: infrastructure • Members are asked to assess availability of local transportation resources so that citizens can get to needed services. • Members are asked to list available local resources for fall prevention. • Members are asked to consider developing a local resource guide for seniors in their areas, and to post these on their websites. • Members are asked to identify a point person in each Area Agency on Aging for falls prevention. • Members are asked to form a Coalition Funding Committee and to work to seek sustainable funding sources that can be increased so that more programming can take place locally.

5. Goal 3: Policy • Members are asked to revisit policy priorities annually. • Members are asked to identify current rules/regulations that support or are contrary to fall prevention – share with Coalition Coordinators so that these can be documented. • Members are asked to continue to be alert to new legislation or policies that support fall prevention. Report these to the Coalition Coordinators so that information can be documented and shared. • Members are asked to list key stakeholders at local and state levels and to report these to the Coalition Coordinator to maintain a statewide list. • Members are asked to work with the Policy Goal Group to develop consistent key messages for policy makers.

6. Goal 4: Intervention and risk assessment • Members are asked to share the fall risk assessment tools with local primary care physicians and others who treat elderly patients. • Members are asked to adopt and recommend the CMS risk assessment tool as the one more appropriate to share with primary care physicians. • Members are asked to share any additional risk assessment tools they discover and/or use with the Coalition Coordinators so these can be disseminated for review. • Members are asked to plan and provide training opportunities within their agency/organization or community to share best practices interventions – Tai Chi, MOB, etc. • Members are asked to work with this goal group to develop a self-home assessment the Coalition could share with homeowners or caregivers to begin to assess home risks. • Members are asked to identify potential agencies or venues where these risk assessments can be distributed (LHD, pharmacies, congregate food sites, etc.)

7. Goal 5: Data • Share the fall prevention awareness data with colleagues, agency leaders and policy makers.

8. OIPP OIPP Mission: • To prevent injuries in Ohio using data and collaborative partnerships. OIPP Vision: • Working together to create a safe and injury-free Ohio.