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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of adults who have died from falls between the time frame of 2000 and 2013 have more than doubled in numbers from 10,273 to 25,464. More than millions are injured, and the medical costs of falling now run more than $30 billion a year and are expecting to double by 2020. Researchers and physicians are now calling falls “the next tsunami of health care problems”.

Statistics show that one in three adults over the age of 65 fall every year sustaining serious injuries, including a broken hip or head trauma. Falling is now being defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as “unexpectedly coming to rest on the floor or other lower level”. It is now known that more than 2.5 million older adults are treated for fall related injuries in emergency departments and some are even hospitalized. With those statistics researchers are now noticing the danger zones that are causing falls and fall related injuries.

Some danger zones to keep in mind are:

Invisible Ice - Also known as black ice. Make sure to keep these areas salted on freezing days.

Grab Bars - Make sure to install grab bars on the wall to help with balance when getting in and out of the tub or shower.

Walk Pathways - Keep clear of using throw rugs and make sure to check the common pathways walked every day for hidden hazards.

Shoe Hazard - Make sure to stay clear from heels and that all shoes are fitted properly and have non slip soles.

With those danger zones in mind, also be aware of the many ways to help your residents stay on their feet. Some of those ways are:

Balance Stand: While holding onto a chair for support if needed, have your residents stand on one foot and hold their weight on one leg for 30 seconds or longer. Then switched to the other foot and repeat.

Heel to Toe Walk:  Have your residents position their heel in front of their toes of their opposite foot each time they take a step imagining that they are walking on a straight line.

Sit and Stand: To help improve your residents balance another exercise and the sit and stand. Have them sit in a chair and practice rising up out of the chair to a standing position and sitting back down in the chair to a sitting position a few times.

Trainer: If a trainer is available, help your residents achieve better balance with yoga, tai chi, pilates, or dance classes.

The Importance of a Volunteer Handbook | Insurance Protection Blog                                                            

A volunteer handbook is a key foundational risk management strategy. It will help to protect your volunteers, clients, and agency by providing guidelines for conduct, procedures, and policies.  The handbook serves three major purposes: relaying crucial organizational information, establishing clear expectations, and emphasizing the importance of volunteers. By providing this information with your volunteers upfront, you welcome them to your agency and ensure that they understand their role and responsibilities.

Begin your handbook with a welcome letter. This is an opportunity to create an open environment and explain the essential role that your volunteers fulfill. Keep the letter brief and avoid using technical terminology, acronyms, or jargon. It is best to have the letter written by the Executive Director or a board member to relay how very important the volunteers are to your organization.

Once you have welcomed your volunteers, create a section in your handbook to relay important organizational information. Utilize this segment to briefly explain the background and history of the organization and your plans for the future. Include your vision and mission statements so that your volunteers understand the core values of the agency. This will help your volunteers to take ownership of your mission and goals. It is also necessary to explain your expectations for your volunteers and what they can expect from their involvement with the organization. This is a great space to provide a list of the rights and responsibilities of a volunteer so that they are clear on what their involvement with your organization will entail.

No handbook would be complete without a section for policies and procedures. It can include everything from legal concerns to best practices. However, make certain that only those regulations and processes that have been approved and implemented by your organization are included.  This area may contain different things for different agencies, but it is essential to utilize this section to explain things like eligibility requirements, background checks, confidentiality policy, codes of conduct, and any other policy that your organization has in place. Additional areas that you may want to cover in this section include safety and emergency procedures, media relation procedures, grievance or dispute procedures, attendance, dress code, conflicts of interest, photo release, and social media policies. A complete policy and procedures section allows your organization to lay out the expectations for your volunteers, as well as, manage your risk by having your volunteers sign an acknowledgement of receipt of these policies.