SIMCOE MUSKOKA - This year for Fall Prevention Month 2019, the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit is partnering with VON, Osteoporosis Canada and Georgian College’s Oral Hygiene Program, to provide knowledge and services for the following.

1. Georgian College Oral Hygiene Students will be offering low cost appointments ($20) for those 65 and over. Appointments must be made in November, but the service can be arranged any time into the spring. Call Brenda Carter at (705) 728-1968 ext. 1387 to register.
2. The partners are promoting a free on-line educational opportunity for those caring for an older adult whether informally or in a working role. Positive Steps Work is available to anyone wishing to learn about falls, the number one cause of injury related ER visits, hospitalizations and deaths in Ontario.
3. The VON Healthy Aging Education Series is excited to have partnered with Simcoe Deaf Access and Bob Rumball Home for the Deaf. The Healthy Aging Education Series is being offered at Bob Rumball Home for the Deaf on Tuesdays at 2 p.m. The sessions started on Tuesday, Oct. 1 and will continue until Tuesday, Dec. 17. These sessions are for seniors who have any degree of hearing loss. Note-taking and ASL Interpreting (paid in part by NSM LHIN - Aging at Home funding) will be provided at each of the 12 sessions.
4. Personal Support Workers may be able to receive a paid educational opportunity through an employer cost recovery model.

Falling happens all year long regardless of the weather, and the people at the highest risk are older adults. Preventing a fall takes into account much more than environmental hazards. Every aspect of healthy aging can reduce the risk of having an injurious fall.

For more information on fall prevention and healthy aging please contact us or visit the health unit’s Fall Prevention and Healthy Aging web pages, or by calling Health Connection Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or visit www.simcoemuskokahealth.org.

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