Launched in the Fall of 2023 and based at UNC Asheville, the Standing Strong North Carolina campaign is part of the 5-year action plan of the NC Falls Prevention Coalition that seeks to highlight the impact of falls and to reduce the injuries and deaths from those falls.
“We want to educate all on how to prevent falls with easily accessible resources, as well as inspire older adults and their loved ones to take action through our innovative messaging as a way to remember the steps to reduce fall risk,” said Senior Project Manager for Falls Prevention Ellen Bailey.
According to Bailey, she and her team have created several public service announcements along with a new website, hoping their call to action will drive the public to seek out the resources they provide.
“We’ve organized our resources into an acronym that will hopefully help people remember the steps to prevent falls: TEAM. Under each letter we have specific resources such as screenings, home safety checklists, links to fall prevention programs and questions to ask healthcare providers,” Bailey said.
Exercise… to improve your balance and strength.
Act… to get your eyes, ears and feet checked annually.
Make… your home safer.
In order to prevent falls in the future, Bailey stressed staying both strong and active at all ages.
“Aging well starts now, however old or young you might be. We build up most of our bone density when we are younger and we need to maintain that along with muscular strength as long as we can,” Bailey said.
Building habits that include physical activity and being aware of your environment and how you interact with and move in your environment can help to reduce the risk of falling, according to Bailey.
“Falls are not a normal part of aging. Most falls can be prevented. It does not ‘just happen’ as we get older; however, if we stop moving, lose strength and become weaker, we increase our risk of falling. Our bodies do change as we age, so if we do fall, we may suffer more severe injuries and consequences,” Bailey said.
Bailey said it’s important to find out what matters to people. This will help connect to the motivation to keep moving, build strength and stay active.
“Most of us all want to stay strong and independent, so find out what kind of activities your family and friends want to do and encourage them to continue or get started again if they have stopped. Do they love gardening? Want to be able to play with grandkids? What will motivate them to do these activities? Maybe offer to participate with them if they are resistant to getting started,” Bailey said.
Bailey said she became acutely aware of how a potential fall or the fear of a fall could impact someone and their care partner while she was helping to take care of her father when he was sick.
“I helped to take care of my father, when his status shifted quickly from being healthy and strong to being at a high risk for falling. Falls prevention is important to me because there are simple steps that people can take, if they are aware of them, to help the people they love live the lives they want to live, no matter their age or health condition,” Bailey said.
To make a difference in people’s lives, Bailey said she hopes this information will help everyone to understand the importance of prevention.
“So that each person can stay strong, independent and mobile for as long as they want and are able. I want everyone to be able to stay Standing Strong,” Bailey said.
For more information on the Standing Strong NC campaign and how you can support, find information or get involved, please visit: https://www.standingstrongnc.org/
