CDC and YMCA: A Promising Partnership for Delivering Fall Prevention Programing

Heidi Ehrenreich,Matt Longjohn,Katherine Hohman,Margaret Kaniewski,Maureen Pike,Gaya Myers,Robin Lee

doi:10.3389/fpubh.2014.00235

Abstract

OLDER ADULT FALLS Falls threaten the independence of adults aged 65 years and older. In the U.S., one in three older adults fall annually, causing significant disability and reduced quality of life (1). The high prevalence of falls, coupled with more than $30 billion in direct medical costs (2) has created a critical need for effective older adult fall prevention programs. As the nation’s public health agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is committed to identifying ways to reduce the burden of older adult falls. In this commentary, we describe a promising approach to reach older adults with effective interventions by partnering with the YMCA to deliver communitybased fall prevention programs.

Highlights

OLDER ADULT FALLS Falls threaten the independence of adults aged 65 years and older
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Compendium of Effective Fall Interventions is intended to help public health practitioners use the best scientific evidence to effectively address falls among older adults in the community [3]
A recent systematic review revealed that stable financial program support, integrated programing, and the ability to make program adaptations were major factors that sustained successful fall prevention programs [7]

Summary

Introduction

OLDER ADULT FALLS Falls threaten the independence of adults aged 65 years and older. In the U.S, one in three older adults fall annually, causing significant disability and reduced quality of life [1]. IMPLEMENTATION OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNITY FALL PREVENTION PROGRAMS Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has produced several guides dedicated to fall prevention programing and delivery. The CDC Compendium of Effective Fall Interventions is intended to help public health practitioners use the best scientific evidence to effectively address falls among older adults in the community [3].

Results

Conclusion