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Young at Heart August 2021

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SANTA CRUZ COUNTY'S FALLS PREVENTION RESOURCE TO HELP KEEP YOU SAFE AND INDEPENDENT Community Service Program of Seniors Council of Santa Cruz & San Benito Counties (831) 688-0400 or fallsprevention@seniorscouncil.org Commit to Maintaining your Independence During National Falls Prevention Awareness Week Septemper 20-24, 2021 By Seniors Council For savvy older adults, or even those who are priv- ileged to have relation- ships with savvy older folks, a term that has come into general use and acceptance is "maintain- ing independence" when referring to the decisions and undertakings one can pursue to help sustain and ensure on-going quality of life. While the term is certainly useful, it is also complex in its meaning and even a little confus- ing. That said, it is also aspirational and intention- al, and if pursued with en- thusiasm and a fair degree of grace and humility, can result in a foundation for a life both well-lived and much enjoyed. In the context of falls prevention and falls risk mitigation, maintaining independence is actual- ly a euphemism for not falling, or for preventing falls from happening, because with falls comes a loss of physical inde- pendence - - limitations on behaviors to only what might be considered safe and limitations even on where it may be safe to live. Most of us take these self-determination choices for granted, but for those who have fallen, or suffered severe injury as a result of a fall, deci- sions about what they are able to do, how they do it, and where to live can be challenging and can have very real consequences - - the sum of which can be seen as fewer choices and a signal that real inde- pendence is in jeopardy. Life is likely and forever changed by a catastrophic fall to some measurable degree, and the best ad- dress is to prevent falls in the first place. But, you might ask, how many of us are really truly independent anyway, es- pecially older adults who can rely on so many oth- ers for so much? Well, the answer is simple, while our bodies may fail us to some degree as we age, real independence lies in the exercise of freedom to make decisions about one's present and future actions, and also the freedom to enjoy either the benefits or conse- quences of those choices and actions. Procuring needed assistance through a community-based program, paying out-of- pocket for help, or even making an application and maintaining eligibility for public benefits are all still examples of exercis- ing and asserting one's independence because they are activities depen- dent on personal choice and agency. It is the loss of choice and personal sway over the direction in which one's life is headed that constitute real loss of independence. Cat- astrophic falls can take away our ability to freely choose our future and in- stead challenge us to meet our basic daily needs. During National Falls Prevention Awareness Week on September 20th – 24th we all have an opportunity to commit or recommit ourselves to maintaining our personal independence by address- ing our own risk factors and areas of fall concern. Some of those address- es have been discussed in previous columns, and include things like completing and following through on the recommen- dations in a Home Safety Assessment, the daily use of a Personal Emergency Response System (PERS), getting a comprehensive eye exam and a prescrip- tion for vision correction, and reviewing current medications with your physician or pharmacist. During National Falls Prevention Week, we are calling everyone to develop and begin a falls prevention risk mitigation plan which can include these areas of focus - - as well as other opportuni- ties, like starting a new strength and balance class - - and then to follow through on those plans. Enlist the help of your partner, a friend, or family members, because doing something good always feels better if its shared! Seniors Council Falls Prevention Program and other area healthcare and community service providers will be high- lighting the serious issue of falls during the week of September 20th – 24th. Injuries from falls cost Medicare more than $50 billion per year, and what's more they cost individuals the ability to live inde- pendently in their commu- nities of choice. Please look for opportunities to attend information and education events, virtually or in-person, or share event information with those you think can benefit from being better prepared to avoid falls and maintain their independence. Bigstock photo

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