One might guess falling less often is just a matter of being more cautious. But there’s more to it than that.
“Ultimately our goal is to keep individuals as independent as they’re able to be,” said Natalie Fick, a Sanford Health physical therapist and master trainer for A Matter of Balance. “I think that’s a big part of what people are taking from this and what they’re most excited about.”
What can people do to prevent falls? What can people do to move around more confidently?
In short, what can people do to safely and assertively live the lives they want to lead?
Sanford Health’s A Matter of Balance (AMOB) classes, Stay Active and Independent for Life (SAIL) fitness classes, Bingocize classes and Stand Strong fall prevention screening events answer those questions.
A Matter of Balance classes include eight sessions lasting two hours each and take place at various locations in Sioux Falls and across South Dakota.
SAIL offers strength, balance and fitness classes specifically designed for adults 65 and over and is also offered across the region.
For Bingocize, an activity that combines exercise with health information and bingo games, Sanford provides program licensure, materials and prizes. Participants improve balance and mobility, reduce their risk of falls and enhance their quality of life while meeting new people.
The programming is offered at community gathering spots like churches, libraries and senior centers. Bingocize is also offered at apartment buildings and independent and assisted living facilities.
These offerings, led by Sanford-trained instructors, began with the help of grant funding from the Administration for Community Living and are expanding into rural South Dakota with support from the South Dakota Department of Human Services. The programs aim to help individuals improve their fitness levels while also reducing the risk of falling.
Stand Strong screening events are scheduled periodically at Active Generations, Good Samaritan campuses, and local churches in Sioux Falls and surrounding areas. Screenings are most common in September to coincide with Falls Prevention Awareness Week, which is Sept. 22-26. Screens take 10 to 15 minutes and are free.
Preventing falls, building confidence
Included in A Matter of Balance courses are instructions on the best places to put grab bars and the best ways to arrange carpets. It’s common sense in many cases, but also a reminder that there are ways to improve your capacity to move around while maintaining safety.
Instructors encourage exercises that focus on strengthening weak muscle groups.
Falls by the numbers
Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention bear out the medical community’s cause for concern:
- Nationally, every 11 seconds an older adult is treated in the emergency room for a fall, and every 19 minutes an older adult dies from a fall.
- In 2023, the unintentional fall death rate for adults age 65 and older was 69.9 deaths per 100,000 people nationwide.
- Rates for both men and women increased with increasing age.
- Since beginning the Stand Strong Initiative in 2020, deaths from unintentional falls in South Dakota have decreased from 126.6 deaths per 100,000 people to 97.7 deaths per 100,000 people, taking South Dakota from third in the nation to 12th in the nation for deaths from falls.
With a Level I adult trauma center, Sanford USD Medical Center records and reviews causes of injury that bring people to the hospital. Noel Miller, recent Sanford Health trauma injury prevention coordinator, sees the numbers.
“Falls are definitely our No. 1 cause of injury for head injury, hip fractures and arm fractures,” Miller said.
It was clear based on a needs assessment by the trauma center that the community would benefit from fall prevention programs. Thus, the Stand Strong Prevention Initiative began.
“A lot of people believe that falling is a natural part of aging,” Fick said. “But the research shows that’s not the case. The goal for our fall prevention programming is to engage our community partners to join us in providing educational opportunities and exercise opportunities that are safe, affordable and appropriate for people of all activity levels.
“We want people to know that they should talk to their provider if they’re afraid of falling, or if they feel dizzy. There are classes and therapy interventions that can help. In addition, everyone should have their medications reviewed at least annually.”
Screening questions
Fall prevention also addresses other possible causes for falling and the ramifications that can extend beyond the actual injury. In some instances, individuals may be hesitant to report falls for fear it could lead to a loss of independence.
“I think sometimes they don’t want to tell anybody,” said Karla Cazer, an AMOB master trainer and Sanford Health geriatric clinical nurse specialist. “They could be thinking, ‘Oh my gosh, my family might make me get help at home, or even move out of my house to an assisted living or nursing facility.’”
Falls can be the cause of injury but also can be a sign of other issues that need to be addressed. It could be an indication that the inactivity brought on by a recent illness or loss of a friend or relative has become a problem, for instance. It could be something as serious as a heart problem or a stroke. Or, as easy to remedy as getting a new pair of shoes or moving furniture around.
When screening for susceptibility to a fall, the top three factors are these:
- Have you fallen in the last year?
- Do you feel unsteady when you’re standing or walking?
- Do you worry about falling or have a fear of falling?
“Our classes are centered around reducing the fear of falling so that people can become more active and increase their strength and ability to feel more steady,” Cazer said. “It’s also about learning how to be more assertive, asking for help when needed.”
Options for staying safe
Both Sanford and Good Samaritan employ STEADI (Stop Elderly Accidents, Deaths and Injuries) initiatives that were created by the CDC to assist physicians and other health care providers in preventing falls. STEADI serves to screen patients to identify their fall risk, assess risk factors that can be changed, and find ways to reduce risk using clinical and community-based strategies.
“We utilize the evidence-based program, STEADI, to help identify if an individual has a fall risk,” said Martha Frohwein, Good Samaritan clinical director. “Within the Good Samaritan Society and across our service lines and various levels of care, A Matter of Balance is one of the programs we use to help support individuals who would benefit.”
Ultimately, a key message of STEADI is that getting older does not have to mean falling is more likely. There are ways to live safer while staying active.
“One of the things we really want to do is to educate people that falling is not an inevitable part of aging,” Frohwein said. “There are specific strategies or things people can do to decrease their risks of falling whether they’re living alone, in a senior living setting or in a long-term care environment. Encouraging people to talk openly with their health care provider can be a great way to initiate that conversation.”
Find classes and events
- A Matter of Balance classes through Stand Strong
- SAIL classes in South Dakota
- Falls prevention screening events near you
Please contact (605) 333-4440 or email karla.cazer@sanfordhealth.org with any questions about our classes or screenings offered in Sioux Falls.
The Stand Strong project is sponsored in part by the Sanford Foundations, the South Dakota Department of Human Services and from the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C., 20201 (Grant number: 90FPSG0055-01-00).
Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to share their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.
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Posted In Emergency Medicine, Healthy Living, Rehabilitation & Therapy, Senior Services
