Our goal is to reduce falls among community dwelling older adults who are frail, or at risk of becoming frail, to help ensure they can continue living safely in the community for as long as possible.
The Health Foundation for Western and Central New York is committed to reducing the devastating physical and financial impact resulting from falls.
Since 2007, the Foundation has invested more than $800,000 in grants and related projects to reduce or eliminate the risks associated with falls and keep older adults living safely in the community for as long as possible. The Foundation has committed to invest more than $2 million in this effort over several years.
To learn more about the Falls Prevention Collaborative and history of this project:
Falls Prevention Collaborative to Benefit Older Adults in Erie County 2009-10
In October 2010, Foundation Trustees approved an additional investment to strengthen and expand its work to prevent falls. Support for advanced projects in Erie County expanded and build on previous work, and support for new community coalitions began to diffuse the work outside of Erie County.
The Step Up to Stop Falls Collaborative funding supported these two groups of grantees:
Advanced Grants
Six teams composed of, or led by, grantees from the 2009-2010 WNY Falls Prevention Collaborative in Erie County received Advanced Grant funding. These teams are expanding their work from the previous collaborative to a new level, expanding the scope of impact, or disseminating their successful work more broadly in the community. The advanced grants are one year in length. The table below provides additional information about each these grantees:
- Learning Partners
- Catholic Health - Partners in Rehab
- Brothers of Mercy
- UB Foundation Services, Inc.
- Independent Health
- Geriatric Center of Western New York
The advanced grant teams each presented the results of their organization’s efforts to prevent falls at a three-part summary conference webinar series in spring 2012.
To listen to the recordings from the Falls Prevention Summary Conference Series, click here.
Diffusion Grants
Six community-based coalitions located outside of Erie County received diffusion grant funding. These coalitions are building local efforts based on the successes of the WNY Falls Prevention Collaborative of 2009-2010. The grants are awarded in two parts with the initial phase focused on developing a multi-dimensional falls prevention plan. Upon successful completion of the plan, the coalitions are eligible for additional funding to implement their plans.
The lead agencies are:
- Allegany/Western Steuben Rural Health Network Inc., Allegany County
- Health Community Alliance Inc., Cattaraugus County
- Genesee County Office of the Aging, Genesee County
- Kaleida Health, Niagara County
- Onondaga County Department of Aging and Youth, Onondaga County
- Tompkins County Human Services Coalition, Tompkins County
To learn more about the Falls Prevention Collaborative and history of this project:
Falls Prevention Collaborative to Benefit Older Adults in Erie County 2009-10
ADVANCED GRANTEES
|
Lead Organization |
Partners |
Project Focus |
|
Learning Partners |
Catholic Health System Outpatient Therapy
Brothers of Mercy Rehabilitation Clinic
Niagara Family Health Center
Judge Joseph S. Mattina Community Health Center
Greenfield Health and Rehabilitation Center |
Develop continuing education accredited falls prevention modules. The resource would be developed as stand-alone modules to train health professionals in fall prevention assessment and/or treatment |
|
Catholic Health - Partners in Rehab |
Catholic IPA |
To provide education in; fall risk assessment and training in the utilization of the Fall Prevention Toolkit to improve primary care assessment of fall risk and reduce falls risk among older adults served by the Catholic Health System. |
|
Brothers of Mercy |
UB Occupational Therapy Group |
To spread the use of the Home Safety Self Assessment Tool (HSSAT) among community dwelling older adults and senior housing residents served by the Brothers of Mercy’s multiple programs and sites. This team will also work to incorporate balance and mobility components of the Falls Prevention Toolkit in their work to create a comprehensive intervention to reduce falls and fall risk. |
|
UB Foundation Services, Inc. |
Meals on Wheels of WNY
Visiting Nursing Association of WNY Parkside Community Association |
Improving the Home Safety Self Assessment Tool (HSSAT) to include more information regarding assistive equipment. Once the tool has been expanded the team will work to spread the use of this tool among community dwelling older adults within Erie County |
|
Independent Health |
Erie County Senior Services
Alzheimer’s Disease Assistance Center
Lord of Life Adult Day Health Center |
To train both cognitively-impaired older adults and their caregivers in tools developed as part of the 2009-10 Step Up To Stop Falls Collaborative, most specifically Tai Chi/Qigong and the Home Safety Self Assessment Tool (HSSAT). |
|
Geriatric Center of Western New York |
Canopy of Neighbors |
To spread Tai Chi workshops and DVDs into senior housing complexes, churches, temples, and community centers. The goal of this teams work is to improve the functional limitations of seniors living independently while providing educational tools during sessions that will be beneficial to older adults. |
DIFFUSION GRANTEES
|
County |
Lead Organization |
Partners |
|
Allegany |
Allegany/Western Stuben Rural Health Network Inc. |
Allegany County Department of Health
Jones Memorial Hospital
Allegany County Office for the Aging |
|
Cattaraugus |
Health Community Alliance Inc. |
Cattaraugus County Department of Aging
Cattaraugus County Health Department
Cattaraugus Community Action |
|
Genesee |
Genesee County Office of the Aging |
Batavia VA Medical Hospital and VA Health Systems
United Memorial Medical Center/Summit Physical Therapy
Catholic Charities
Genesee Community College Nursing Program
UB Center for Industrial Effectiveness |
|
Niagara |
Kaleida Health |
Visiting Nursing Association of Western New York
Niagara County Office for the Aging
Niagara County Department of Health |
|
Onondaga |
Onondaga County Department of Aging
and Youth |
Aurora of Central New York
the Salvation Army (Syracuse Area)
Visiting Nurse Association of Central New York
Secondary organizations from other proposals include
— Menorah Park
— Interfaith Works
— Franciscan Home Care (St. Joseph)
— Joslin Center- Metabolic Bone Center
— St Joseph’s Health Center
— PACE CNY
— Loretto Health Support
— St Francis Social Adult Day Care
— Syracuse Orthopedic Specialists |
|
Tompkins |
Tompkins County Human Services Coalition |
Office for the Aging of Tompkins County
LifeLong
Visiting Nurse Service of Ithaca and Tompkins County
Secondary partners include:
— Cayuga Medical Center
— Better Housing of Tompkins County
— Finger Lakes Independence Center
— Ithaca College
— Long Term Care Services of TC
— TC Department of Emergency Response
— TC Health Department |
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