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Falls Prevention Hall of Fame 2011-2012

NCOA is pleased to recognize the recipients of the Falls Free© “Falls Prevention Certificate of Appreciation.”  To receive the certificate, recipients must have demonstrated significant impact in falls prevention in their state. Recipients are selected by their state Falls Prevention Coalition leadership.

Florida

• Florida Association for Area Agencies on Aging for implementing evidence-based Senior Falls Prevention Initiatives to the seniors within their local communities.
• Dr. Charles Maitland, Florida State University, College of Medicine, for ongoing efforts to increase health care providers knowledge during Florida’s Statewide Falls Prevention Awareness Day.
• Dr. Alice Pomidor, Florida State University, College of Medicine for ongoing efforts to increase health care providers knowledge during Florida’s Statewide Falls Prevention Awareness Day.
• Brain Injury Association of Florida, Inc. - Valerie Breen for ongoing efforts to increase health care providers knowledge during Florida’s Statewide Falls Prevention Awareness Day.
• Community Aging & Retirement Services, Inc. for ongoing efforts to increase health care providers knowledge during Florida’s Statewide Falls Prevention Awareness Day .
• StepWise Lee – Mark Tesoro and Syndi Bultman for an active Falls Prevention Coalition within the state.
• Health Foundation of South Florida for implementing Senior Falls Prevention Initiatives to the seniors within their local communities.
• Health First – Mark Brimer, PhD for serving as an active member and Co-Chair for the Statewide Falls Prevention Coalition and Department of Health’s Falls Prevention goal team.
• Winter Park Health Foundation – Diana Silvey for Implementing Falls Prevention Initiatives to the seniors within their local community and serving as an active member on the Statewide Falls Prevention Coalition and Department of Health’s Falls Prevention goal team.
  
  Learn more about about the Florida Falls Prevention Coalition.

Maine

• Elaine McMahon MS, RN is currently the Program Manager, Clinical Services for MaineHealth’s Partnership for Healthy Aging and Elder Care Services  in Portland, Maine.  Elaine was a key member of the team who translated the original A Matter of Balance: Managing Concerns About Falls program, developed at Boston University and taught by healthcare professionals, into a program that could be taught by lay leaders. She helped to adapt the curriculum and develop new training materials for the Matter of Balance/Volunteer Lay Leader Model, which has been disseminated throughout Maine and the country. Elaine also helped to lead the MaineHealth Fall Prevention in Long-Term Care Workgroup. She shared her expertise in the development of the Falls Management Program Toolkit, based on a program developed by the Emory University Division of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology, Department of Medicine, and supported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. In September 2011, she organized the first MaineHealth Falls Prevention Summit, bringing together healthcare professionals from all over the State of Maine, including representatives from hospitals, assisted living and long term care facilities, EMS, and the community.  She is a co-chair of the MaineHealth Falls Prevention Collaborative, which was formed as a result of the summit. The Collaborative’s goal is to implement a system-wide fall prevention initiative across the continuum of care, resulting in a decrease in falls and fall-related injuries. Elaine is also involved in the EMS Falls Prevention Workgroup.
• Patti League, RN, is currently the Program Manager for the Matter of Balance Volunteer Lay Leader Model. During Patti’s career as a nurse, she has maintained a passion for helping older adults live at their fullest levels of function.  She was involved with the original A Matter of Balance: Managing Concerns About Falls program and is now responsible for disseminating the Volunteer Lay Leader Model internationally.  Patti has coordinated and led the training for Master Trainers in 37 states and British Columbia.  Her technical support for the program goes above and beyond, constantly sharing websites, resources and articles about falls and other challenges that older adults face.  She conducts quarterly conference calls for all Master Trainers, providing updates on the Matter of Balance program and creating an opportunity for Master Trainers to gain knowledge and ideas from each other.
  
  Learn more about about the Maine Falls Prevention Coalition.

Missouri

• Margaret T. Donnelly, Director of Department of Health and Senior Services for her continued support of the Show Me Falls Free Missouri Coalition and providing a staff liaison to assist the coalition.
• Jodee Frederick, Director, Division of Administration, Clay County Public Health Center for her collaboration with the local Clay and Platte County Senior  Falls Coalition on fall prevention activities and working with the Silver Haired Legislators and helping them submit falls prevention as a priority during the October session in 2010.
• Cyndee Howell, Program Manager, Missouri Alliance for Home Care, for planning and organizing the first falls prevention activity for the Coalition.
• Charisse Pappas, Public Information Coordinator, Department of Health and Senior Services for helping the Coalition with public awareness, media coverage, developing the website, press toolkit and materials.
• Paul G. Perniciaro, BS Pharm, RPh, CGP, FASCP, President, Director of Consultant Pharmacy Services, for getting several pharmacists involved on fall prevention day each year providing medication reviews and doing presentations in the community on how to develop local fall prevention coalitions.
• Sarah Lovegreen, Health Manager, OASIS, for her ongoing support and consistent leadership for the State Show Me Falls Free Missouri State Coalition.
• Helen Lach, PhD, RN, GCNS-BC, Associate Professor, Saint Louis University School of Nursing, for developing the electronic form to collect data for on-going presentations, events, health fairs, educational programs, screenings (balance and vision), exercise classes, Matter of Balance classes, medication reviews and the number of individuals reached by coalition members and the activities for the National Falls Prevention Day.
• Missouri Association of Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) for the collaboration and partnership between AAA and the Missouri Show Me Falls Free Mo Coalition in implementing statewide the “Steady As You Go “ program providing public education and exercise programs in senior centers on falls prevention.
• Carmen Abbott, PhD, PT, Clinical Associate Professor, University of Missouri, Department of Physical Therapy for helping organizing Physical Therapists statewide on fall prevention activities and ensuring best practices are promoting within the coalition.
  
  Learn more about about Show Me Falls Free Missouri.

New Jersey

• Pam Baseshore, EdD, MPH, Associate Director for Education and Assistant Professor at New Jersey Institute for Successful Aging, UMDNJ-SOM,  NJ's Geriatric Education Center for her crucial role in the development of a new Standing Tall Against Falls training module, dedicating staff time and resources to develop a user friendly impactful fall prevention presentation. 
  
  Learn more about the New Jersey Fall Prevention Workgroup.