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Issue Brief: Preventing Falls in Older Adults What is Balanced Act? Balanced Act is a fall prevention program developed and operated by the city of Phoenix. Fall injuries are one of the leading causes to loss of independence for people over age 60. Balanced Act is introduced at senior/community centers and housing sites through a falls injury presentation by Hearts of Joy Senior Care, Inc. Fall-related statistics are presented in addition to the most common causes for falls. Participants learn easy remedies to modify their personal, home and community environments. A medication review is provided by the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy where a visiting pharmacist identifies any medications that may trigger a fall. Participants may sign up to participate in the Matter of Balance program. The program encourages participants to discuss their fear of falling, make an action plan to address their fall-related concerns and begin a stretching exercise program that strengthens muscles to help them remain on their feet.
The city of Phoenix offers Balanced Act at nine locations:
* Parks & Recreation sites that require an annual $5 fee (see Who may participate in Balanced Act?)
While Balanced Act is offered free of charge to the community, people who register for the program through a Parks & Recreation center will be charged an annual $5 fee. The program is open to anyone interested in learning more about how to avoid a future fall. This may include a person over age 60, a caregiver, child of a senior, healthcare professional, staff or anyone who may start experiencing a fall. The program allows people at all different physical levels to participate. Everyone is encouraged to do the exercises to the best of their ability.
The Matter of Balance program is offered free. Guests are encouraged to register at the center to allow for full access to the center’s activities/services.
Some of the benefits of participating in Balanced Act include:
What is Matter of Balance? Matter of Balance is an evidence-based fall prevention program developed by MaineHealth’s Partnership for Healthy Aging. Two coaches lead the eight week, two-hour class for participants to learn how to address fall-related issues. During the first two weeks, the format is discussion only, focusing on fears related to falling. Low-impact, stretching exercise is introduced in the third class session that starts many people back to being more physically active.
Matter of Balance is offered at seven senior/community center and housing sites (see locations above). Participants are encouraged to sign up for the Matter of Balance class through these sites. Class size is limited to 15 participants. Participants may join before the class begins or during one of the first two sessions. After that, you may sign up for the next time the Matter of Balance class is offered.
The Matter of Balance program is a Train-the-Trainer program offered by MaineHealth’s Partnership for Healthy Aging. Agency lead trainers train local master trainers. Master trainers train coaches, provide program oversight and ensure program fidelity.
Coach training is conducted in either one eight-hour or two four-hour sessions. The program has been developed to be led by volunteers, as coaches, but also may be led by staff. On a quarterly basis, the city of Phoenix offers training to staff and volunteers interested in providing the program at their site. The training is offered free of charge to city staff and volunteers. To find out the organizational cost to receive this training, contact 602-262-7379 or Fall Prevention HSD.
If your agency would like to become a Matter of Balance master trainer site, contact MaineHealth’s Partnership for Healthy Aging for training dates and locations.
In what areas could an organization get involved? The city of Phoenix would like to develop partnerships to offer hearing, vision and dental screening to low-income program participants. Each of these areas can cause a senior participant to experience a fall. These health screenings can help the senior avoid a future fall by identifying:
In November 2006, the Phoenix City Council assigned the Human Services Department to develop a fall prevention program that would inform the population on how fall injuries impact the population over age 65 and methods to address the situation. HSD contacted national and local experts in the field of aging to discuss available fall prevention programs and elements of program development. Many of these experts participated on an action committee to develop a falls strategic plan. The plan was based on the National Council on Aging Falls Free: A National Falls Prevention Action Plan. The action committee wanted to address medication management, nutrition and home modifications with an emphasis on physical mobility. HSD researched five evidence-based physical activity programs designed to reduce fall injuries in this population. The Matter of Balance program was recommended and approved for implementation in city senior centers. In addition to the Matter of Balance, partnerships have been developed with Hearts of Joy Senior Care, Inc.; University of Arizona College of Pharmacy; and Rebuilding Together to provide presentations, medication reviews and minor home modifications to center participants. Additional information on the city's fall prevention program.Last modified on 08/25/2008 10:17:20 |
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