Ascension Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital - Ozaukee Campus hosted a Senior Wellness Fair on November 14 aimed at connecting older adults and their families to the appropriate resources to maintain safe and sustainable lifestyles for aging residents.
One of the most important topics of education at the event was fall prevention. Wisconsin has the highest death rate due to falls in the country for people 65 and older, according to the most recent data from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention.
“We think it’s important to take care of the older adults in our community. This year alone, we’ve seen 251 fractures for our older adult patients, and those are just our numbers from January through October,” Michelle Hogan, Ascension Columbia St. Mary’s - Ozaukee geriatric nurse navigator and ED case manager said. “Safety is our number one priority, and we hope to reach that demographic and teach them what they can do to reduce falls.”
About 75% of the patients at Ascension Columbia St. Mary’s - Ozaukee are older than 65.
“Falls are the number one complaint of that age group when they visit our emergency rooms. We want to help our loved ones learn ways to avoid hazards,” said Jeffrey Zollicoffer, prehospital medicine relationship manager for Ascension Columbia St. Mary’s - Ozaukee. “Ascension and our local first responders share a dedication and responsibility to our senior community. We want to equip them with tools to keep them healthy.”
Zollicoffer met with City of Cedarburg Fire Chief Jeff Vahsholtz last year to address this community need. Emergency Medical Services crews in Cedarburg have responded to 239 calls for falls for senior citizens, 216 of those occurred when individuals were at home.
“Based on what we’ve experienced, we recommend people use walkers and canes if they are unsteady, get rid of the throw rugs, install grab rails in your bathroom, and possibly even get an emergency pendant to push a button and ask for help if you do happen to fall or get injured,” Vahsholtz said. “Knowing your falls risks and using the tools that are available can prevent serious injury and help you live independently longer.”
Due to the aging population in the area, Ascension Columbia St. Mary’s - Ozaukee and the Cedarburg Fire Department are working on future plans to visit senior centers in the area to teach and reach more people about fall prevention.
“Our ministry is to take care of people and care for those who are most vulnerable,” Hogan said. “I’m so proud of what we’re doing to make a difference in our community.”
