Guy Thompson Community Center to host fall prevention event

MILTON — From 9 a.m. to noon, Sept. 22, the Ready, Steady, Balance: Prevent Falls in 2017 event at the Guy Thompson Community Center, 5629 Byrom Street in Milton will take place.

The event will feature fall risk assessments, blood pressure screenings, and giveaways.

Falls are a major threat to older adults' quality of life, often causing a decline in self-care ability and participation in physical and social activities. Fear of falling can lead to further limiting of activity, independent of injury.

Falls and fall-related injuries are a common and serious problem for older people. People aged 65 and older have the highest risk of falling, with 30 percent of people older than 65 and 50 percent of people older than 80 falling at least once a year.

About 5 percent of falls in older people who live in the community result in a fracture or hospitalization. Between 10 percent and 25 percent of falls in nursing homes and hospitals result in a fracture.

Contact Faye Henry with the Retired Senior Volunteer Program at 983-5220 or rsvpofsr@gmail.com for more information.

This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Guy Thompson Community Center to host fall prevention event