Falls Prevention Awareness Week: Don’t Let a Preventable Fall Alter the Rest of Your Life
Dear Readers: Falls Prevention Awareness Day is observed on the first day of autumn each year. That means Tuesday, September 22, 2026, is the day that kicks off a full week of awareness work running through September 26. The timing was chosen to remind people that, regardless of current weather conditions, the first day of autumn marks the seasonal turn towards shorter days and eventually, the icy conditions that send so many to the ER. Those of us in the north know all about ice and snow in January, but we often forget that some of our worst icing occurs during transition seasons. While anyone can fall at any age, advancing years increase not only the risk of a bad fall, but the chance of serious, life-changing injury. Since nearly all of us want to maintain as much autonomy as we can while we age, it makes sense to follow…
Helpful Tools:
SenecaSense Home: Discreet Support That Restores Comfort and Confidence. Wetness indicator and alert to help manage incontinence with dignity.
Minding Our Elders: Caregivers Share Their Personal Stories. “I hold onto your book as a life preserver and am reading it slowly on purpose…I don’t want it to end.” …Craig William Dayton, Film Composer
Stay connected with Memoryboard: Designed by caregivers. Memoryboard helps families share reminders, messages, updates, and photos on an easy-to-use screen designed for people with dementia. Peace of mind for families, independence for loved ones.
Leslie Kernisan, MD, MPH, has opened up support! View two free caregiving webinars that can help you help your older parents (and yourself).
Discover the Difference. EGOSAN: The premium incontinence brand caregivers love: They save work! Now Available on Amazon.
Carol, thank you for highlighting Falls Prevention Awareness Week. I run a company called Silvie that builds privacy-first home sensors for fall detection and wellness signals for older adults living independently, so I think about this topic every day. One thing that comes up constantly is that the technology question is really a trust question: will Mom actually keep wearing it, and who gets called if something happens at 2 a.m.? In my experience, the setups that last are the ones the older adult helps choose, because nothing works if it feels like surveillance rather than support. Prevention will always matter most, as you say here, and a respectful safety net underneath it gives everyone, especially the person living there, the confidence to keep moving. Thank you for keeping this conversation alive.
Thanks for your support, Alex. You said, “nothing works if it feels like surveillance rather than support,” and I agree 100 percent. When older adults feel their wishes and their privacy no longer matter, they will resist all efforts to help. And who can blame them? What I love about Silvie is that the older adult can feel that there is a safety net in case of need, yet they don’t feel “surveilled.” There’s a big difference. Thank you for creating a great product!