Stay Steady Vermont Returns to RuralEdge Properties in September
SAINT JOHNSBURY—Falls, especially among older adults, happen far too often and contribute to injuries, loss of confidence, and loss of independence. They also happen more often in people who have weakness, poor balance, and difficulty walking.
RuralEdge, in partnership with the NEK Council on Aging, is once again hosting Stay Steady seminars in Caledonia County during the month of September. The Vermont American Physical Therapy Association teams up with community partners across the state to present "Stay Steady Vermont", which offers an interactive informational session followed by a brief balance screening by licensed Physical Therapists. After screening, people receive recommendations that can help reduce risk of falling, based on individual results.
RuralEdge hosts these sessions as part of their Support and Services at Home (SASH) Program, which provides service coordination and preventive nursing services to over 490 people in the Northeast Kingdom, both in RuralEdge properties and in the wider community. The statewide SASH program focuses on falls prevention throughout the entire year due to the high risk for falls that our participants face given that the majority are older adults living with multiple chronic diseases. We know that across Vermont alone, falls cause more than 125 deaths, 2,000 hospitalizations and 20,000 emergency department visits each year! RuralEdge is proud to be part of Vermont Falls Free Prevention Coalition and offering even additional programming to reduce and prevent falls during September, Falls Prevention Month. We know that while falls are common with our participants that are also preventable.
The Stay Steady event will be happening at Passumpsic View Apartments on Wednesday, September 22nd, from 10:00 -12:00, the Darling Inn in Lyndonville on Wednesday September 15th from 10:00-12:00, and West Burke Housing, September 29th, from 10:00 – 12:00, with Mike Matteis, DPT of Dan Wayland, PT and Associates as the main presenter. Participants should wear masks, comfortable clothes and shoes and should register ahead of time by contacting Gary Chester at (802) 673-5758 or by email at garyc@ruraledge.org.