Press Releases

BOCA RATON, Fla. — September 22, 2016 – In recognition and support of Fall Prevention Awareness Day, MobileHelp®, a leader in mobile medical alert and personal health management technology, has released an infographic to provide seniors with tips on how to make living spaces safer.

Held on the first day of autumn each year, Fall Prevention Awareness Day is part of the National Council on Aging (NCOA)’s annual initiative to raise awareness around safety for seniors.

“Our business is built around providing assistance quickly in the event of an emergency, and we send help to our customers about every 5.5 minutes,” said Rob Flippo, CEO of MobileHelp. “But the bigger goal is to take the issue further upstream – we want to help prevent emergencies such as falls from happening in the first place. We support the National Council on Aging in their efforts to raise awareness around the issue of fall prevention.”

Released today, the informative piece focuses on providing easy modifications that can be incorporated into living spaces to reduce the risk of injuries from falls, with tips from the NCOA, as well as the National Safety Council (NSC) and Mayo Clinic. Information includes such critical aspects as what areas of the home represent the greatest risk and how to ensure risks are mitigated as much as possible.

The ten suggestions for fall prevention include:

1. Talk to your doctor: they can assess your risk of a fall and help you develop a preventative course of action.
2. Talk to your pharmacist: Different types of medications or an increase in the number of medications you’re taking can increase the risk of a fall, so ask your pharmacist to review your medication(s) with you in detail.
3. Have your eyes checked regularly: Our eyesight changes throughout our lives, so make sure you visit the optometrist every year to keep your prescription up to date.  
4. Evaluate your surroundings: Walk through your home with a loved one to make sure any potential tripping hazards (such as loose rug edges or phone wires) can be addressed.
5. Give yourself support at home: A grab-bar in the shower or improved lighting in hallways can be easily added to increase your confidence in maneuvering throughout your space.  
6. Store things the easy way: Keep frequently-used items on easily accessible shelves so you don’t have to climb to reach them.
7. Wear sensible shoes: Wear shoes with non-skid soles and a proper fit.
8. Stay regularly active: There are simple ways to stay physically fit, including lifting a light weight while you watch TV or taking a walk around the block.
9. Invest in your safety: If you’re worried about a fall while trying to stay active, a mobile medical alert system might be a good solution: you’ll always have help at the press of a button.
10. Want to learn more about preventing falls? NCOA, NSC, and Mayo Clinic offer great resources for fall prevention.

Click here to download a copy of the fall prevention infographic.

About MobileHelp:
Headquartered in the Research Park at Florida Atlantic University, MobileHelp® is a leading provider of mobile Personal Emergency Response Systems (PERS) and health management technology. MobileHelp’s PERS devices are integrated with nationwide wireless voice, data and GPS technology to provide real-time medical alert monitoring services and expedited personal emergency assistance. In addition, MobileHelp offers proactive health management services such as activity tracking, medication reminders and a telehealth platform, MobileVitals, for both consumers and healthcare providers. For more information about MobileHelp, please call 1-800-989-9863 or visit the website at MobileHelp.com.