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Area Office on Aging and Walgreen’s Pharmacy Form
Partnership to Raise Awareness of Older Adult Falls
Sojourner’s Truth Staff
The Area Office on Aging
of Northwestern Ohio, and other area agencies on aging
around the state, have partnered with Walgreen’s Pharmacy to
raise awareness of older adult falls and to strengthen
pharmacy relationships with and referrals to local senior
services. The two groups held an announcement of the
partnership on Tuesday, August 7, at the Walgreen’s at 5815
Secor with a demonstration of two programs designed to help
seniors reduce the risk of falling.
Falls are the leading
cause of injury-related emergency department visits,
hospitalizations and death among older adults. According to
the Ohio Department of Health, there were 81,275 older
Ohioans age 65+ who visited emergency rooms last year
because of falls. Last year, 1,160 Ohioans age 65+ died as a
result of a fall. Many medications and health conditions can
contribute to a higher risk of falls.
Two of the programs that
the Area Office of Aging and Walgreens are promoting to help
seniors are A Matter of Balance and tai chi. On Tuesday, the
Area Office on Aging’s Robert Sullivan was on hand to
demonstrate A Matter of Balance and the Asian Center brought
in more than a dozen club members to demonstrate tai chi.
Sullivan pointed out three
exercises – knee raise, knee extension and heel raise – that
strengthen lower body muscles – along with exercises
designed to help cope with chronic pain.
According to Harvard
Medical School: “Tai chi is often described as ‘meditation
in motion,’ but it might well be called ‘medication
in motion.’ There is growing evidence that this mind-body
practice, which originated in China as a martial art, has
value in treating or preventing many health problems. And
you can get started even if you aren't in top shape or the
best of health … Tai chi differs from other types of
exercise in several respects. The movements are usually
circular and never forced, the muscles are relaxed rather
than tensed, the joints are not fully extended or bent, and
connective tissues are not stretched. Tai chi can be easily
adapted for anyone, from the most fit to people confined to
wheelchairs or recovering from surgery.”
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