Community As Partner

Presentation
Samantha Helms, Emily St. Germain, Jaime
Varner, and Holly Zuehlke-Frazelle

Census Tract 4721

Core of the Community

Elderly, retirees
Caucasian
English speaking
Middle to upper class

Subsystems
14 neighborhoods
Well maintained
Educated population
Active lifestyles
Safe area

Within the
Communit
y

Data Collection
Windshield Survey
Pima Maps
American Community Survey
Key Informant Interviews

Key Informants
Librarian
Library Health Program
Coordinator
Firefighter
Paramedic
Public Health Nurses
Pharmacist
ChildTime Employee
Whole Foods Manager
Kneaders Franchise Owner
Adult Care Home Employee
Orange Theory Fitness
Employee

Community Strengths
Community safety: low crime
rate, Ventana Canyon Wash is
bridged, low rate of house fires

Health conscious community:

focus on preventative care,
physically active community,
residents seek out healthy food
options, high interest in
supplements and vaccinations

Low incidence of poverty:

key informants indicate the area
is middle to upper-middle class,
low rate of homeless in the area

Priority Concerns
Safety:

paramedic indicated that the #1 call they receive is for falls

and fall related injuries

Road conditions: many of the neighborhood roads are not well

maintained and have many potholes

Lack of sidewalks: many of the roads in the residential and

commercial areas of the CT do not have sidewalks

Lack of health services: the closest hospital, TMC, is not

far, but there are no clinics, offices, or urgent care facilities within
the community at all

Diagnosis
Risk for injury from falls among elderly in CT 4721 related
to losing balance, knowledge deficit in fall prevention,
and lack of support as demonstrated by paramedics
responding most frequently to emergency calls that are
fall related.

Intervention
If You Lose Your Balance presentation to
the community at the River-Dusenberry
Public Library.
Informational board: exercise, safety,
steps on how to properly get up from
a fall
Demonstration: demonstrating the
steps of how to assess after a fall
and how to get up safely
Game board: Participants will place
pictures of the steps on how to get
up from a fall under the correct
number.

Right After A Fall

1. Take several deep breaths to try to relax.
2. Remain still on the floor or ground for a few moments. This will help you get over the shock of
falling.
3. Decide if you're hurt before getting up. Getting up too quickly or in the wrong way could make an
injury worse.
Getting Up From a Fall
4. If you think you can get up safely without help, roll over onto your side.
5. Rest again while your body and blood pressure adjust. Slowly get up on your hands and knees, and
crawl to a sturdy chair.
6. Put your hands on the chair seat and slide one foot forward so that it is flat on the floor. Keep the
other leg bent so the knee is on the floor.
7. From this kneeling position, slowly rise and turn your body to sit in the chair.

Level of Evidence
This information was provided by the National Institute on Aging and
was last reviewed in January, 2013.

Level VII: Evidence from the opinion of authorities and/or expert

committees

Intervention Evaluation
21 residents viewed the
teaching board
7 residents viewed the
demonstration and
completed the teaching
evaluation game board
7 residents correctly placed
all the steps of getting up
from a fall on the game
board