Fall-Related Injuries Topic of UW-Sponsored Program

Falls and fall-related injuries are among topics to be discussed through a Wyoming Center on Aging (WyCOA)-sponsored program at the University of Wyoming.

Wyoming Dementia Together (WDT) has scheduled a “Safety: Fall Prevention and Recovery” program Wednesday, Jan. 31. The WyCOA-sponsored WDT group -- which includes dementia care professionals, licensed clinical social workers, physical and occupational therapists, and caregivers -- collaborates to provide confidential information and support, free of cost, to those whose loved ones are living with dementia.

WDT meets via Zoom every other Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. throughout the year. Programs feature a guest speaker and allow time for interaction from those who attend online. Caregivers from throughout Wyoming and surrounding states have benefited from the sessions.

According to Jeff Grant, an injury prevention coordinator with the Wyoming Department of Health, falls and fall-related injuries are the leading cause of unintentional injury-related hospitalizations and the third leading cause of unintentional deaths in Wyoming. He notes that, nationally, one in three older adults falls each year and, every 14 seconds, an older adult is seen in an emergency department for a fall-related injury.

“The good news is that the number of falls may be reduced through practical lifestyle adjustments and by participating in evidence-based fall prevention programs.,” Grant says. “Falls are preventable and are not a part of normal aging.”

He says older adults concerned about falling, and who want to have fun as they learn how to prevent future falls, can benefit from his presentation.

Future WDT programs will feature “The Healing Power of Recollection,” Feb. 14; “Meaningful Leisure Time: Ideas for You and Your Loved One,” Feb. 28; “Creating Peaceful Space,” March 13; “Through the Eyes of Dementia,” March 27; and “Dementias and Diagnosis,” April 10.

For information on how to register for Zoom calls and the other free services offered by WDT, call WyCOA at (307) 766-2829 or email wycoa@uwyo.edu.

For more information, go to the WDT Caregiver Network website.