For the Register

In 2006 55 percent of all unintentional injuries in Napa County were due to falls, with 43 percent of the injuries due to falls among adults 60 years of age and older.

The Napa County Board of Supervisors recognized Sept. 21-28 as Fall Prevention Awareness Week, in accordance with SCR 77, a legislative resolution promoting fall prevention awareness in California.

StopFalls Napa Valley Fall Prevention coalition members are involved in fall prevention activities and events, encouraging organizations and community partners to take action now to help prevent falls.

Last week coalition spokesperson Linda Schulz of St. Helena Hospital gave a presentation to the Napa Coalition of Nonprofit Agencies, encouraging all nonprofits to become part of the injury prevention solution. Maria Carter, health educator for Kaiser Hospital, said Kaiser installed fall prevention kiosks.

Bruce McCall of Napa Valley Physical Therapy said his staff is making personal visits to doctors’ offices to help raise awareness and promote fall prevention practices. Celine Regalia, director of Adult Day Services of Napa Valley, said her agency hung a large banner in the foyer, holding discussion groups and staff trainings on fall prevention. Deborah Brunner of the Napa County Transportation and Planning Agency said her organization installed busboards in all its buses with tips to prevent falls.

Pam Marietti gave educational presentations and conducted balance and mobility assessments for the residents of the Veterans Home of California in Yountville.

Denise Bleuel, StopFalls Napa Valley program coordinator and Napa Meals on Wheels volunteer driver, delivers meals to several people who have a history of falling. “Fearful of losing independence, they are anxious to remain in their homes and welcome assistance from professionals who can help them take steps to reduce falls,” she said.

Marietti, the program’s occupational therapist who conducts comprehensive fall prevention assessments in seniors’ homes, said “there are little things that can be done that can make big difference.”

What causes falls? There are multiple factors, including environmental hazards, inner ear disorders, muscle weakness, the use of multiple medications, difficulty waking or balancing, reduced vision, and chronic health problems. But contrary to myths, falls are not an inevitable consequence of growing older.

Falls among the elderly were cut by 11 percent when researchers at Yale School of Medicine used a combination of fall prevention educational campaigns and interventions aimed at encouraging clinicians to incorporate fall-risk assessment and management into their practices, according to an article in the July 17 New England Journal of Medicine.

Here are some ways to reduce the chances of suffering a fall.

• Ask your doctor or a trained health care professional to perform a fall risk assessment and review your medications.

• Engage in regular physical activity. Consider targeted balance and mobility exercises, such as tai chi.

• Get an assessment of your home environment and make changes to reduce safety risks, such as reducing clutter, improving lighting, and assuring handrails and grab bars are securely installed.

• Watch for outdoor hazards such as cracks in sidewalks, tree roots and changes in elevation. Report them so they can be repaired.

For more information and for a fall risk assessment, contact Denise Bleuel at 255-5328 and visit www.StopFallsNapaValley.org. StopFalls Napa Valley is funded in part by Archstone Foundation, Queen of the Valley Medical Center and Napa County.