North Central Health District

Nature Walk Highlights Fall Prevention at Amerson River Park

Posted October 24, 2024 by Michael Hokanson

Macon-Bibb County Health Department (MBCHD), in partnership with the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) and the Macon-Bibb County Parks and Beautification Department, has installed a Fall Prevention Nature Walk Exhibit at Amerson River Park.

A ribbon cutting ceremony for the exhibit will take place at 11 a.m. on October 28 at Amerson River Park, 2551 North Pierce Dr. in Macon.

“We are really excited to bring this initiative to our community,” said Joy Harris, MBCHD Health Education Supervisor. “Macon-Bibb County just celebrated its 10th Anniversary of being an Age-Friendly Community and the first community in the nation to receive this designation by AARP and the World Health Organization (WHO). Because of such designation, the Fall Prevention Initiative is even more important as older adults have higher incidence of falls. This initiative provides important education and resources to aid in the prevention of falls.”

The walk consists of 24 information boards placed along a paved trail that cover topics like self-advocacy, brain health, and age-appropriate exercise. Each board includes an actionable item, such as a phone number or QR code, to link participants to additional resources and programs in the community.

According to the Georgia Department of Public Health, in 2019 falls were the leading cause of injury death among those who were 65 and older, resulting in 34,000 deaths nationwide. DPH also reports unintentional falls were the third leading cause of unintentional injury in the United States for ages 1-44, indicating a need for community-wide initiatives.

“A significant challenge communities face when tackling the issue of falls surrounds the stigma that falls are an inevitable part of aging and only impact the older adult (65+) population. Raising awareness and reducing stigma associated with falls is critical to preventing falls across the lifespan,” says DeAndre Cain, the Core State Injury Prevention Program Manager with DPH’s Injury Prevention Program.

“Oftentimes, the stigma of being seen as ‘senior,’ ‘elderly,’ or ‘aging’ creates a barrier to implementing effective fall prevention strategies, programs, and interventions. The Fall Prevention Nature Walk initiative works to raise awareness on available resources and community-based programs while reducing the stigma by creating more open conversations about falls and fall prevention strategies across the lifespan,” continued Cain.

The Macon-Bibb County Health Department looks forward to participants utilizing the Fall Prevention Nature Walk through Thanksgiving, after which the story boards will be moved to their next location.

To learn more about the Fall Prevention Nature Walk program and fall statistics, visit dph.georgia.gov/health-topics/injury-prevention-program/cdc-core/falls.

Information about fall injuries can be found at cdc.gov/falls/about/index.html.