Finding balance: the virtual trek across Alberta

Courtnay Epp

Courtnay Epp, Fort Macleod Health Centre

What do Nancy Reagan, former Pope Benedict XVI, and Paula Abdul all have In common? All these people have had serious falls- from broken arms to broken hips to concussions and head injuries. Falls can have devastating consequences and significantly affect one’s quality of life. Anyone can fall, but as you get older the risk of you falling increases.

Falls are the leading cause of serious injury in older adults and about one in three people over the age of 65 will fall at least once a year. If you look to your right, and now to your left, one of you will probably fall at least once this year. The number of single falls per year increases to one out of two for people over the age of 80.

If you fall once, you are twice as likely to fall again. Women are three times more likely than men to be hospitalized for a fall-related injury. However, men are more likely than women to experience fatal falls (it may be that men are more physically active or more likely to engage in risky behaviours).

People fall for a variety of reasons and these reasons are called “risk factors.” Some examples include: home hazards, blood pressure, vision, medications, and balance. If you know your risk factors, you can take action to reduce your chance of falling. When two or more risk factors are present at the same time, your chances of falling increases. The risk factors build on one another, increasing the chances of a fall. That is why it is so important to know your risk factors and the actions you can take to prevent a fall from happening to you. Falls are NOT a normal part of aging.

With the help of the province-wide Finding Balance campaign - which focuses on reducing the number of falls among Alberta seniors - you can learn real-life strategies that can reduce your risk of falling. These strategies include checking your medications, speaking up about dizziness, watching your step, and keeping active. For more information on these strategies, visit www.findingbalancealberta.ca.

November is Seniors Fall Prevention month and this year it focuses on the “Keep Active” message. In partnership with UWALK, Finding Balance is hosting a virtual TREK across Alberta that will help motivate seniors to get moving towards a fall-free lifestyle. Seniors across the province can join the TREK challenge by counting and recording the number of steps they take from November 1 to 30. The virtual TREK challenge begins in Coutts, Alberta and finishes in Fitzgerald, Alberta.

The goal is to reach 3,263,500 steps or 2,610 km. We need all the help we can get so we encourage you to join in and log your steps and/or physical activity minutes during the month of November. Visit www.albertavirtualtrek.ca for more information, to register, or to track your steps using the Trek Passport. All your steps will be added to the provincial total so please check it out and join in helping us reach our goal!

Courtnay Epp is a health promotion facilitator for Population Health at the Fort Macleod Health Centre. She can be reached at 403-553-5353 or Courtnay.Epp@albertahealthservices.ca