Falls affect us all. Think of older adults in your life—parents, grandparents, extended family, friends, and neighbors. Every second of every day, an older adult suffers a fall, and many of those will require emergency medical care for serious, catastrophic injuries. Falls are the leading cause of injury and injury-related death for older adults. But falls can be prevented. Vision:F3’s academic-community-national partnership mobilizes fall prevention interests across healthcare, housing, social service, public and private sectors at local, regional and national levels. Together we can build capacity to deliver proven fall prevention programs to older adults where it matters—in their communities through trusted community organizations.
Taking STEPS towards Vision:F3
Here are the STEPS we are taking towards Vision:F3
- Supported: Community Organizations are supported in fall prevention program delivery with training, technical assistance, data management and communities or practice.
- Tailored: Existing evidence-based fall prevention programs can be adapted for cultural, linguistic and contextual needs of diverse communities and continue to maintain their proven effectiveness.
- Equitable: Vision:F3 is committed to reaching communities underserved by fall prevention, including communities of color, native and indigenous communities, immigrant and refugee communities, diverse language communities, and rural communities.
- Proven: In addition to the current suite of evidence-based fall prevention programs, Vision:F3 is engaged in developing and evaluating a flexible approach to programs where community organizations can choose fall prevention elements that meet their needs from a menu of proven components.
- Sustainable: Vision:F3 supports education and advocacy to ensure that fall prevention program funding is stable, consistent and reliable so communities don’t lose their programs due to time-bound grant cycles.
Vision:F3 Collaborators
Key Partners
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Sound Generations Sound Generations is a nonprofit organization based in Seattle, Washington, that provides a range of services and support to older adults and adults with disabilities, helping them maintain independence, health, and well-being through programs like meals, transportation, fitness, and social engagement. |
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National Council On Aging
The National Council on Aging (NCOA) is a nonprofit organization that advocates for the health and economic security of older adults, providing resources, programs, and initiatives to help them live healthier, more independent lives. |
Additional Partners
Success Stories
Explore success stories from various falls prevention programs across the United States. These stories showcase how different communities have implemented effective strategies to reduce the risk of falls among older adults, including community partnerships, innovative interventions, and education initiatives. These unique and tailored approaches have helped enhance the safety and well-being of older adults, serving as a model for others looking to implement similar falls prevention efforts.
Resources
Events
National Falls Prevention Summit
The National Council on Aging is planning a National Falls Prevention Summit, bringing together stakeholders to update the 2015 National Falls Prevention Action Plan. The event (by invitation only) is scheduled for September 2024 in Arlington, VA, and is funded by the U.S. Administration for Community Living. NCOA is inviting key stakeholders like all of you to complete a survey aimed at capturing progress, gaps, and opportunities regarding older adult falls risk, falls, and fall-related injuries. The results of this survey will be used to inform the National Falls Prevention Summit agenda and build a foundation for updating the National Falls Prevention Action Plan.
National Falls Prevention Awareness Week 2024
Dates: Sept. 23-27 2024
National Falls Prevention Awareness Week is an annual event coordinated by the National Council on Aging (NCOA) to raise awareness about fall-related injuries among older adults and to promote strategies for preventing falls. The week typically takes place in September and involves educational activities, resources, and community events aimed at empowering older adults, caregivers, and healthcare providers with the knowledge and tools necessary to reduce the risk of falls. Each year has a specific theme and NCOA typically provides a toolkit with resources (including social media best practices) for the month. The overarching goal is to enhance the health and safety of older adults, enabling them to maintain their independence and quality of life.
Older Americans Month
Dates: Every year during the month of May
Older Americans Month, celebrated each May, is an annual observance led by the Administration for Community Living (ACL) to honor and recognize the contributions of older adults across the United States. The event highlights the importance of community involvement, resilience, and wellness among older Americans, encouraging society to ensure their continued well-being and participation in various aspects of life. Last years theme was Powered by Connection
National Physical Fitness and Sports Month
Dates: Every year during the month of May
National Physical Fitness and Sports Month, observed each May, promotes the importance of regular physical activity for all ages, emphasizing the role of exercise in maintaining overall health and well-being. For older adults, staying physically active is particularly crucial as it strengthens muscles, improves balance, and enhances flexibility—all key factors in preventing falls. By encouraging older adults to engage in regular fitness routines, National Physical Fitness and Sports Month directly supports fall prevention efforts, helping reduce the risk of fall-related injuries and enabling older adults to maintain their independence.
In the News
Evidence for Aging Services in a Dynamic World
Explore the evolving landscape of aging services and better understand the need for innovation and flexibility in aging services to effectively meet the changing needs of older adults.
US House of Representatives Push Cuts to Many Older Adult Programs
Learn how the ACL is driving innovative solutions to improve the lives of older adults and prevent falls.
Enhanced Fitness: Partnering to Improve Community Health
Enhanced Fitness is an exercise initiative designed to improve the health and well-being of older adults through regular physical activity, focusing on enhancing strength, balance and flexibility—all critical components in preventing falls.
Best Practices for Remote Delivery of Fall Prevention Programs
Learn about strategies that can be applied to fall prevention programs to ensure they are accessible and impactful even in virtual settings.
READ MORE
Policy Highlights
Research, Demonstration, and Evaluation Center for the Aging Network
Learn more about the Research, Demonstration, and Evaluation Center for the Aging Network.
Strategic Framework for a National Plan on Aging
Explore the Strategic Framework for a National Plan on Aging, including the appendix focused on older adult falls.
Interagency Coordinating Committee on Healthy Aging and Age-Friendly Communities
Learn about how the Administration for Community Living is leading cross-agency efforts to support safe and healthful aging.
United States Preventive Services Task Force
Learn about the new falls prevention recommendations just released by the United States Preventive Services task Force.
Government Accountability Office
Explore recommendations from the Government Accountability Office on fall prevention for older adults and for adults with disabilities.
Healthy People 2030
Read about the fall prevention objectives included in Healthy People 2030.
Healthcare Quality Measures
Learn about the healthcare quality measures for clinical management of falls in primary care.
Special Committee on Aging, United States Senate
Read the report by the Special Committee on Aging in the United States Senate titled Falls Prevention: National, State, and Local Solutions to Better Support Seniors.
Office of Housing and Urban Development
Read the report by the Office of Housing and Urban Development titled Overcoming Obstacles to Policies for Preventing Falls by the Elderly.
Science & Publications
Health Promotion Research Center Publications
- 2024 Remote Evidence-Based Health Promotion Programs to Support U.S. Older Adults during COVID-19 and beyond: A Mixed Methods Outcome Evaluation
2023 Adapting Evidence-Based Falls Prevention Programs for Remote Delivery – Implementation Insights through the RE-AIM Evaluation Framework to Promote Health Equity
2023 Remote Evidence-Based Health Promotion Programs During COVID: A National Evaluation of Reach and Implementation for Older Adult Health Equity
2019 Building community-clinical linkages to increase older adult physical activity: The PT-REFER trial protocol and participant baseline characteristics
2018 Bridging the Gap After Physical Therapy: Clinical-Community Linkages With Older Adult Physical Activity Programs
2017 Telephone Care Management of Fall Risk: A Feasibility Study
2017 Enhance(R)Fitness Dissemination and Implementation: 2010-2015: A Scoping Review
2016 Coordinating Care for Falls via Emergency Responders: A Feasibility Study of a Brief At-Scene Intervention
2015 Assessment and management of fall risk in primary care settings
2015 Participant Variation by Delivery Site Type in an Evidence-Based Physical Activity Program
2015 Beyond Strength: Participant Perspectives on the Benefits of an Older Adult Exercise Program
2014 National Reach and Dissemination of EnhanceFitness
2014 Understanding older adults’ motivators and barriers to participating in organized programs supporting exercise behaviors
2012 How Are the Costs of Care for Medical Falls Distributed? The Costs of Medical Falls by Component of Cost, Timing, and Injury Severity
2012 Personal and delivery site characteristics associated with intervention dosage in and evidence-based fall risk reduction program for older adults
2012 Development of STEADI: A Fall Prevention Resource for Health Care Providers
2011 Older adults’ perceptions of clinical fall prevention programs: a qualitative study
2011 Fall prevention knowledge, attitude, and practices of community stakeholders and older adults
2010 A Longitudinal Analysis of Total 3-Year Healthcare Costs for Older Adults Who Experience a Fall Requiring Medical Care
2010 From Research to Practice: EnhanceFitness, an Innovative Community-Based Senior Exercise Program
2006 Promoting physical activity in ethnic communities: perspectives from older adults
2004 Older adult perspectives on physical activity and exercise: voices from multiple cultures
2003 Promoting health and preventing disability in older adults: lessons from intervention studies carried out through an academic-community partnership
1994 Preventing disability and falls in older adults: a population-based randomized trial
Sound Generations Publications
- 2023 Exercise Intensity Among Older Adults Participating From Home in Remotely Delivered EnhanceFitness
2021 Technology Support Challenges and Recommendations for Adapting an Evidence-Based Exercise Program for Remote Delivery to Older Adults: Exploratory Mixed Methods Study
2021 Clinical-Community Connections: Incorporating Evidence-Based Programs for Improved Patient Outcomes
2020 The Leveraging Exercise to Age in Place (LEAP) Study: Engaging Older Adults in Community-Based Exercise Classes to Impact Loneliness and Social Isolation
2019 Twelve-Month Retention in and Impact of Enhance®Fitness on Older Adults in Hawai’i
2015 National reach and dissemination of EnhanceFitness. Health Behavior and Policy Review
2015 Participation in Older Adult Physical Activity Programs and Risk for Falls Requiring Medical Care
2014 EnhanceFitness: A 20-Year Dissemination History
2014 Implementation cost analysis of a community-based exercise program for seniors in South Florida
2013 Building Strong Communities through Evidence-Based Health Improvement Programs
2013 Report to Congress (2013). The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Evaluation of Community-based Wellness and Prevention Programs under Section 4202 (b) of the Affordable Care Act
2011 Reaching At-Risk Populations to Improve Clinical Measures of Physical Activity: Delivery of EnhanceFitness to Low-Income African American Adults in Houston, Texas
2009 An evidence-based exercise program implemented in congregate-meal sites
2008 What is the Optimal Duration of Participation in a Community-Based Health Promotion Program for Older Adults?
2008 “It’s our exercise family”: ethnic older adults’ experiences in a group-based exercise program
2008 Healthcare Cost Differences with Participation in a Community-Based Group Physical Activity Benefit for Medicare Managed Care Health Plan Members
2006 Distance as a barrier to using a fitness-program benefit for managed Medicare enrollees
2005 Eliminating disparities in communities of color through the Lifetime Fitness Program
2003 Community exercise program use and changes in healthcare costs for older adults
2002 Using a participatory approach to provide assistance to community-based organizations: the Seattle Partners Community Research Center
1999 Correlates of exercise maintenance among people with mobility impairments
1997 Physical activity and health promotion for older adults in public housing
1994 Effects, safety, and compliance with an exercise program in a senior center: A randomized trial. J Am Geriatr Soc.
NCOA Publications
- 2023 Preventing Falls and Fall-Related Injuries among Older Adults. In A Comprehensive Guide to Safety and Aging
2022 A call for solutions for healthy aging through a systems‐based, equitable approach to obesity
2022 Dissemination and implementation of evidence-based falls prevention programs: reach and effectiveness
2019 One hundred million healthier lives: Measuring what matters. Innovation in Aging
2018 Delivery of fall prevention interventions for at-risk older adults in rural areas: findings from a national dissemination
2017 Dissemination of chronic disease self-management education (CDSME) programs in the United States: intervention delivery by rurality
2016 Exercise and fall prevention: narrowing the research‐to‐practice gap and enhancing integration of clinical and community practice
2012 Healthy aging: programs that make a difference—part 1. The Consultant Pharmacist