Every day we face new and ongoing challenges as the pandemic seems to have no immediate end in sight. We recognize that this time is especially hard on older adults, who now more than ever need our support, resources, and friendship. Over the past seven months our Senior Programs Team has been an innovative force for good as we continue to co-create new comprehensive ways to help seniors stay connected to resources.
Last week, three members of our team, including one Village Santa Cruz County Assistant, completed training of a telephone-based falls prevention program aimed at helping older adults in their home. This person-centered intervention assists the participant towards a path of self-discovery as they observe themselves and determine appropriate methods for preventing falls.
We are excited to share Falls Talk with our community and help individuals discover if this personalized program is right for them. More information about Falls Talk can be found on our Falls Prevention webpage. Check out our adapted Falls Screening Tool on the webpage along with learning the six steps to prevent falls created by the National Council on Aging.
I am also happy to announce the upcoming launch of the Monterey Bay Area Falls Coalition. Our friends and partners at the Senior Council/Area Agency on Aging in Santa Cruz, San Benito and Monterey along with additional trusted professionals are strategizing ways to share best practices, program information and resources to provide our communities with streamlined ways of accessing fall prevention information.
In other news, we are hopeful that by early 2021 A Matter of Balance will be available through a virtual method and that our scheduled classes can resume with our amazing volunteer coaches. Please make sure to check our Falls Prevention page for the most up to date information.
Blog Post written by Senior Programs Coordinator Tara Ireland who inspires volunteers to give back to their community and local seniors in need. Last year through her coordination efforts with Helping Hands, safety related home repairs were provided at 236 homes in Santa Cruz County.
