PORTSMOUTH- Shawnee State University’s Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) program and the Area Agency on Aging District 7 (AAA7) are once again joining together to provide falls prevention education to the community through a Facebook livestream series, “Fall-Free Fridays.”

According to the National Council on Aging, falls remain a leading cause of injury for people age 65 and older. Falls threaten older adults’ safety and independence and generate enormous economic and personal costs. The good news is that they are preventable and there are proven steps people can take to reduce their risk.

Historically, the two organizations have worked together to provide falls prevention education to the community through the AAA7’s “Matter of Balance” falls prevention program. During the pandemic, a virtual version of the education was created through the Fall-Free Fridays platform to give students the opportunity to meet their class requirement to provide community education and expand reach.

Recently, the initiative was the winner of a national award presented by USAging, the AAA7’s national association. The award is one of the highest honors presented by USAging to its members and was among 22 local aging programs across the nation to receive honors during USAging’s 49th Annual Conference and Tradeshow, held recently in Tampa, Florida.

Starting on Friday, September 27th at 10:00 am, the AAA7 will feature “Fall-Free Fridays” on the Agency’s Facebook page. Shawnee State MOT students will prepare the presentation and provide education on a falls-related topic and information about falls, risk factors, and helpful prevention tips. The AAA7 plans to share this information on their website at aaa7.org and also offer a “Fall-Free Friday Fact” weekly on the AAA7 Facebook page and website.

Fall-Free Fridays will be featured on selected days in September, October, November and December. A playback will be available on the AAA7 Facebook page for those who are unable to watch live. Schedules and announcements for the series will be available on the AAA7’s Facebook page. If you have questions about how to access the virtual education or recording, or for more information about falls prevention, contact the AAA7 at 1-800-582-7277 or e-mail [email protected].

To learn more about the Master of Occupational Therapy program at Shawnee State University, visit shawnee.edu/occupational-therapy