Tennessee Institute of Public Health Researches Senior Citizen Safety
The Tennessee Institute of Public Health, in partnership with the Tennessee Department of Health, Tennessee Commission on Aging & Disability, and other state and local partners, has been funded by the County Health Rankings & Roadmaps project to develop a community action strategy that focuses on senior citizen safety. The project will have a special focus on the impact of fall prevention and elder abuse on the senior population. .
According to the National Council on Aging, falls are the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries in the elderly. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that falls result in more than 2.8 million injuries treated in emergency departments annually, including 800,000 hospitalizations and more than 27,000 deaths.
The CDC defines elder abuse as “an intentional act, or failure to act, by a caregiver or another person in a relationship involving an expectation of trust that causes or creates a risk of harm to an older adult.” They further acknowledge a consistent definition is needed to monitor the incidence of elder abuse and examine trends over time to determine the magnitude of elder abuse and enable comparisons of the problem across locations. This ultimately informs prevention and intervention efforts.
“Elder abuse is a serious and -increasing public health and safety challenge. This project provides another opportunity to engage individuals, organizations and leaders from a variety of sectors to develop strategies to improve the overall health of a vulnerable population of the community,” said Tennessee Institute of Public Health Executive Director Ginny Kidwell.
The project’s goal is to engage people and organizations from different sectors as partners in improving the safety and well-being of senior citizens. Participants may include community members, funders, business, law enforcement, government, education, healthcare, public health, insurers, faith-based and community development sectors.
Leadership among political, business, healthcare, public health, senior centers, nursing homes, education, media and the attitude of the people in these communities are crucial to improving the quality of life for senior citizens. This project will focus on the development of partnerships that implement policies and activities that are widely promoted as a community call-to-action to protect senior citizens.
Ms. Kidwell added, “Showcasing best practices from other communities, both inside and outside of Tennessee, will help communities involved in this project learn from the experience of others.”