Welcome to 2023 Falls Prevention Awareness Week Toolkit hosted by NCOA and the Falls Free Initiative

The 16th annual Falls Prevention Awareness Week focused on From Awareness to Action.

NCOA, the Falls Free Initiative, and partners have spent the last 15 years educating and engaging with older adults about falls prevention through evidence-based programming and enlisting support from health care providers, community resources, friends, and family.  We know that preventing falls is possible, and we want to empower older adults to take action and reduce their risk of falling.  

All tools and resources in the Falls Prevention Awareness Week toolkit below have been developed and curated to help you maximize your impact in raising falls prevention awareness to older adults you serve. You are encouraged to use these resources and repurpose them on your website and for any activities you have planned for September and throughout the year. Our toolkit offers digital and printable assets you can use to generate engagement, including encouraging your community to play a role in falls prevention. 

Use the links below to navigate to the resources you're most interested in

Falls Prevention Awareness Week resources

'From Awareness to Action': The 2023 Falls Prevention Awareness Week theme

Preventing and reducing falls can be achieved with a few easy steps, as seen in our newly updated video below.

We’ve expanded the widely used 6 Steps to Prevent a Fall framework into handouts, slide decks, and videos. Use the resources below to help older adults you serve understand how they can take action and prevent falls. 

Resource Intended Audience  Language
6 Falls Prevention Steps to Help Your Older Adult Loved Ones Caregivers

Handout: Talk to Your Family

Older Adults, Caregivers, Professionals

Handout: Talk to Your Doctor

Older Adults, Caregivers, Professionals

Handout: Review Your Medications

Older Adults, Caregivers, Professionals

Handout: Make Your Home Safe

Older Adults, Caregivers, Professionals

Handout: Find a Good Exercise Program

Older Adults, Caregivers, Professionals

Handout: Care for Your Vision and Hearing

Older Adults, Caregivers, Professionals

Slide Deck: 6 Steps to Prevent a Fall

Older Adults, Caregivers, Professionals

Slide Deck: 6 Things You Can Do Today to Prevent a Fall

Older Adults, Caregivers, Professionals
Download all PPT decks (ZIP file)

Video: 6 Steps to Prevent a Fall

Older Adults, Caregivers, Professionals

Download all 6 Steps to Prevent a Fall assets (ZIP file)

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Falls Free CheckUp Logos and Banners

It is important for older adults to understand their risk of falling.  NCOA's Falls Free CheckUp is a digital assessment where older adults can answer 13 simple questions to get their falls risk score and steps to reduce their risk. 

Each of the following campaign banners has been formatted for the social media platform you plan on using to promote Falls Free CheckUp. These banners are intended to serve as a cover photo during Falls Prevention Awareness Week. 

Download NCOA's Falls Free CheckUp logos and campaign banners below in English and Spanish to promote our digital tool.

  Intended Use  Language
Logos Web - Public Awareness  English (PNG)
Spanish (PNG)
ZIP file (both assets)

Campaign

Banners

Facebook - Option 1 English (JPG)
Spanish (JPG)
Facebook - Option 2 English (JPG)
Spanish (JPG)
Facebook - Option 3 English (JPG)
Spanish (JPG)
LinkedIn - Option 1 English (JPG)
Spanish (JPG)
LinkedIn - Option 2 English (JPG)
Spanish (JPG)
LinkedIn - Option 3 English (JPG)
Spanish (JPG)
Twitter - Option 1 English (JPG)
Twitter - Option 2 English (JPG)
Twitter - Option 3 English (JPG)
Download all Falls Free CheckUp logos and campaign banners (ZIP file)

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Social Media Toolkit and Shareable Graphics

Spread falls prevention awareness and education on social media. Use our sample messaging in the social media toolkit we've developed to promote Falls Prevention Awareness Week any time during the year.

Accompany your posts with the following digital images that can be used across your organization's Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn pages. See the Facebook image preview example below for 'Make Your Home Safe'.

Download NCOA's Falls Prevention Awareness Week Social Media Toolkit (Word | PDF)

  Topic Area Social Media Platform
6 Falls Prevention Steps Social Graphics Talk to Your Family Facebook/LinkedIn (PNG)
Instagram (PNG)
Twitter (PNG)
Talk to Your Doctor Facebook/LinkedIn (PNG)
Instagram (PNG)
Twitter (PNG)
Review Your Medications Facebook/LinkedIn (PNG)
Instagram (PNG)
Twitter (PNG)
Make Your Home Safe Facebook/LinkedIn (PNG)
Instagram (PNG)
Twitter (PNG)
Find a Good Exercise Program Facebook/LinkedIn (PNG)
Instagram (PNG)
Twitter (PNG)
Care for Your Vision and Hearing Facebook/LinkedIn (PNG)
Instagram (PNG)
Twitter (PNG)
Download all 6 steps social graphics (ZIP file)

Falls prevention truly is a team effort.  Download the seven (7) graphics and use them in social media posts or any other resources to highlight the value of each community member.

  Topic Area  Language
Falls Prevention Is A Team Effort  Family & Friends English (PNG)
Occupational Therapist English (PNG)
Doctor English (PNG)
Pharmacist English (PNG)
Fire Department English (PNG)
Physical Therapist English (PNG)
Community Neighborhood English (PNG)
Download all team effort social graphics (ZIP file)

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Press Release Template and Public Relations Toolkit

Traditional media continues to be a reliable communication modality in local communities.  Engage and inform your community around older adult falls by spreading awareness to your local news channel and newspaper.

  • Press Release/Public Relations Toolkit: Get everything you need to help spread the word about preventing falls, including a planning calendar; a sample calendar announcement, advisory, and press release; and tips and sample scripts to pitch reporters. Download NCOA's Falls Prevention Awareness Week Public Relations/Media Toolkit (Word | PDF)
  • Making the Most of Your Media Moment Recording: Learn how to engage with your local media and increase falls prevention education to older adults and your community. Watch NCOA's webinar, featuring Simona Combi, NCOA's Public Relations Manager.

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Articles, Infographics, and Other Printable Resources

It seems that falls are common, no matter what age. However, for many older adults, an unexpected fall can result in a serious and costly injury. The good news is that falls can be prevented. Below you'll find articles and printable resources that can be used to talk to an older adult, family members, or health care professionals about creating a falls prevention plan.

Download NCOA's flyers, infographics, and other printable resources.

  Intended Audience  Language
Debunking the Myths of Older Adult Falls Older Adults, Caregivers
Falls Prevention Conversation Guide Caregivers
The 6 Best Online Hearing Tests of 2023: Don't Wait to Test Your Hearing Older Adults, Caregivers, Professionals
The Complete Hearing Aids Buyer's Guide for 2023 Older Adults, Caregivers, Professionals
How to Prevent Falls with Home Safety Modifications Older Adults, Caregivers, Professionals
Home Falls Prevention Checklist for Tribal Members Older Adults, Caregivers, Professionals
Elder Falls Prevention for Native Americans Older Adults, Caregivers, Professionals
Medication Record Form Older Adults, Caregivers, Professionals

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Bone Health and Falls Prevention

Osteoporosis causes bones to be weak where an accident, such as a fall, can fracture the bones.  However, it is never too late to identify and treat osteoporosis or prevent falls to avoid broken bones.  Share the American Bone Health Fracture Risk Calculator with older adults you serve so they can better understand their bone health. 

Also, share the handout below to help older adults better understand the importance of falls prevention and how it can help prevent a bone fracture.

  Intended Audience  Language
Get the Facts on Osteoporosis, Falls, and Broken Bones Older Adults, Caregivers, Professionals

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Advocacy

Educate your elected officials about how public dollars support evidence-based falls prevention programs for older adults, caregivers, family members, and the community at large. Aging services professionals are well-positioned to explain how limited public investment, along with growing demand, is having a domino effect on programs and services that help older adults remain healthy and independent in their own homes and communities. It’s important that Congress understand how older adults and caregivers are being affected by funding and policy decisions.

Below are links to help guide your falls prevention advocacy efforts:

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Thank you to our funder the Administration for Community Living (ACL)

This project was supported, in part by grant number 90FPSG0051 from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects under government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official Administration for Community Living policy.