June 2011 - Hot Topic

Stepping Out Safely:  The evolution of a community initiative on falls prevention among older adults in Middlesex-London

by Amy Mak, Public Health Nurse, Middlesex-London Health Unit

Background

Falls among older adults is a significant health issue and are the leading cause of death, hospitalization and Emergency Room visits in unintentional injuries among individuals  65 years and over in Middlesex-London1. For older adults, a broad set of health determinants influences their risk of falling and fall injuries. These include biological, behavioral, environmental, and socio-economic factors2.  Many of these risk factors are modifiable.

The beginning of the Stepping Out Safely initiative

The Stepping Out Safely initiative was implemented in Middlesex-London in 2005 with the goal of raising awareness about the risk factors for falls among the older adult population and to provide information on falls prevention strategies.

The first Stepping Out Safely activity day was organized to promote the falls prevention messages. Seventy older adults participated in the first event in 2005. Since then, a yearly event has been organized. A thematic approach used to organize the activities in a fun and interactive way along with positive messages on various activities to promote falls prevention has made this event popular among older adults. Examples of themes are bone health (Healthy Bones) and nutrition (Healthy Bits and Bites). The eighth event in October 2010 reached capacity in four days, attracting over 150 participants.

An important ingredient: Community partnership

In late 2004, a committee was formed to plan the first Stepping Out Safely event. The committee members were representatives from Council for London Seniors; Kiwanis Seniors Community Centre; Middlesex-London Health Unit; and Third Age Outreach, St. Joseph’s Health Care London. Since then, the community partnership has expanded to include both non-profit organizations and area businesses. Older adult and student volunteers have also been involved in a wide range of capacities. This committee has no stable funding and depends on in-kind contributions and community sponsorship. The continual support from community partners working in a collaborative manner has ensured the success of this annual event.

Stepping Out Safely 2011 takes place on Saturday October 1 (National Seniors Day), and the theme is on medication, gambling, alcohol and substance use.

An ambitious undertaking in 2012…

Building on the successful collaborative effort, the Stepping Out Safely Planning Committee has also begun to prepare for the 2012 Stepping Out Safely: Healthy Aging Initiative. The Healthy Aging in Canada framework3 is being used to guide activity planning. The emphasis is on health promotion and disease prevention to ensure older adults in the community maintain optimal health and quality of life as they age.

The goal of Stepping Out Safely: Healthy Aging is to promote healthy aging in Middlesex-London with the following objectives:

  1. To acknowledge the contributions of older adults
  2. To celebrate the diversity among older adults
  3. To refute ageism
  4. To encourage intergenerational activities
  5. To provide health promoting information to older adults
  6. To facilitate the participation of older adults in the Stepping Out Safely: Healthy Aging initiative by providing low- or no-cost activities

The plan is to invite community partners that serve older adults to participate in organizing community wide activities from April to October 2012 on various themes:

Month Theme
April Leisure and Arts
May Demystify Ageism
June Safety
July Physical Activity
August Nutrition
September Medication, Alcohol & Substance, tobacco use
October Stepping Out Safely Day

This huge undertaking poses many planning and implementation challenges. At the same time, it has also generated a sense of synergy among community partners in working towards a common goal to promote the health of older adults in Middlesex-London.  

 

References

1 Middlesex-London Health Unit (2009). Leading Causes of Injury: A Statistical Profile of Middlesex-London. London, Ontario. http://www.healthunit.com/article.aspx?ID=15210

2 Ontario Injury Prevention Resource Centre (2008). Falls Across the Lifespan: Evidence-Based Practice Synthesis Document. Ontario. http://www.oninjuryresources.ca/resources/best_practices/

3 Healthy Ageing in Canada: A New Vision, A Vital Investment, From Evidence to Action – A Background Paper (2006) http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/seniors-aines/publications/pro/healthy-sante/haging_newvision/vison-rpt/index-eng.php