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Good Samaritan Hospital Recognizes Falls Prevention Awareness Day

John Mitty Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Good Samaritan Hospital Recognizes Falls Prevention Awareness Day

West Islip, NY – Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center will recognize Falls Prevention Awareness Day by offering free balance screenings at West Islip County Fair on Sunday, September 23. The theme for 2012, Standing Together to Prevent Falls, seeks to unite professionals, older adults, caregivers, and family members to play a part in raising awareness and preventing falls in the older adult population.

To promote the well-being of the elderly, Good Samaritan recently partnered with the Suffolk County Department of Health (DOH) in the Stepping On Program, which was developed by the Centers for Disease Control and New York State Department of Health. Introduced in Suffolk—one of only three counties in the state to be chosen for this program, Stepping On consists of seven weeks of classes designed to reduce falls in the over-65 population. Good Samaritan Hospital Physical Therapist Susan Cullen has completed the leadership training to implement this series of classes.

Fall Prevention recommendations, especially for people over the age of 65:

Regular exercise (e.g., tai chi), focusing on improving leg strength and balance
Awareness of medication side effects and interactions; one’s physician or pharmacist should be asked to review all medications, both prescription and over-the-counter products
Annual eye exams
Necessary upgrades for home safety, including adequate lighting and the installation of grab bars and railings
Reduction of tripping hazards (e.g., area rugs and other objects on floor)

Good Samaritan offers free lectures on preventing injuries from falls, free balance screenings to seniors, preadmission education for joint replacement surgery patients and balance assessments for customized physical therapy.

For more information about preventing falls, please call (631) 376-4444.

jmitty@longislandyellowpages.com

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