It’s Fall Prevention Awareness Week! Did you know falls are a leading cause of significant injuries for people with developmental disabilities?
You can keep yourself from getting hurt and falling by paying attention to your home, health, and habits.
- Home: Check each room of your house for tripping hazards such as cords, loose rugs, or clutter on the floor. Make sure your stairways have a handrail and enough light. Clean up spills right away.
- Health: Some medicines may make you dizzy or tired, which might make you likely to fall. Have your vision checked regularly to see clearly. You can also make healthy choices about food and exercise.
- Habits: Strong leg muscles can improve your balance. Make sure your shoes and clothes fit well, so you don’t trip. Keep one hand free while carrying items so you can hold onto a railing for support.
Fall Prevention Awareness Week is Sept. 18-22. It’s a national campaign to increase awareness around falls and injury prevention. HCDDS created a dedicated webpage for fall prevention. It includes risk assessments, fall prevention strategies, fun activities, and other resources.
“We have experienced a 32% decrease in injuries from falls compared to the same time period in 2022,” said Jennie Flowers, director of the Major Unusual Incident and Prevention team.
September is also National Preparedness Month. We encourage you to sign up for Alert Hamilton County, a notification system that alerts Hamilton County residents about emergencies and other important information. You can also create a Smart911 profile, which gives first responders access to important information during an emergency. Find more disaster preparedness tips in this article from My Life magazine.
