State falls prevention coalitions play an important part in addressing the ongoing challenge of how to reduce falls among older adults. NCOA now has even more support to help those coalitions grow and work with each other.

The U.S. Administration for Community Living (ACL) announced in August 2024 that NCOA had been awarded the $2.5 million Enhancing Statewide Falls Prevention Awareness, Strategy, and Collaboration funding.

The aim of the funding is "to facilitate the development and enhancement of collaborative efforts of state falls prevention coalitions to reduce falls or the risk of falls, or both, among older adults and adults with disabilities, as well as their families and caregivers," ACL said in a statement.

NCOA will work with the aging and disability network and other stakeholders to distribute subawards to state falls prevention coalitions or to organizations that are developing new coalitions in states that do not yet have a coalition. 

As part of the funded project, state falls prevention coalitions may work on projects to:

• Increase availability of and accessibility to evidence-based falls prevention interventions
• Analyze state data to identify gaps
• Leverage resources
• Expand falls prevention awareness
• Educate professionals, older adults, and caregivers about how they can reduce their risk of falling

Because about 1 in 4 adults age 65+ falls each year, the issue continues to be important for aging services professionals. Since 2014, ACL has awarded more than $53 million in falls prevention grants through the Prevention and Public Health Fund.¹

“NCOA is thrilled to be leading this opportunity to support new state falls prevention coalitions and strengthen existing ones," said Kathleen Cameron, Senior Director of NCOA's Center for Healthy Aging.

This work builds on nearly two decades of partnering with state and local falls prevention coalitions in addressing older adult falls and injuries that significantly impacts the quality of life for millions of older adults and their families.”

Falls prevention is a key component of NCOA's work. NCOA is funded by ACL to serve as the National Falls Prevention Resource Center.

The average age of a participant in an ACL-funded falls program is 73, with one in five (19%) having experienced a fall within the last three months prior to starting the program.¹

After taking part in the programs funded through ACL's falls prevention grants, 89% of participants report a reduced fear of falling. Also, participants reported taking the following actions to reduce their chance of a fall:

• Did exercises they learned in the program at home (66%)
• Made changes in their home (42%)
• Talked to a family member or friend about how they can reduce their fall risk (36%)
• Had their vision checked (23%)

Learn more about the Enhancing Statewide Falls Prevention Awareness, Strategy, and Collaboration funding opportunity.

Sources

1. U.S. Administration for Community Living. Falls Prevention. Found on the internet at https://acl.gov/programs/health-wellness/falls-prevention