Be HeadSmart® ,Seniors!

SurvivorBE HEADSMART®, SENIORS! SAFETY CHECKLIST / HEADSMARTZ

      • One in three Americans over age 65 falls each year.
      • 60% of these falls occur at home.
      • Falls are the #1 cause of brain injury in adults age 60 and up.
      • Car crashes are a close second.
      • Prevention is the only cure for traumatic brain injury.
      • Most brain injuries can be prevented.

As Florida's huge senior community continues to grow, so does the need to educate older Floridians about the risks and consequences of brain injury and how to prevent debilitating injuries that can significantly impair one's ability to enjoy an independent lifestyle. BIAF offers older Floridians information and tools to help them reduce their risk of injury. The Be HeadSmart Seniors Safety Checklist contains over 40 safety tips, seniors can use the checklist to help identify potential improvements they can make in their homes and healthcare habits. The checklist is printed in large, easy-to-read type, and organized to be convenient and user-friendly.

Be HeadSmart®, Seniors! Safety Checklist brochure

Be HeadSmart®, Seniors! Safety Checklist brochure (Spanish)

Headsmartz is a health/safety presentation that incorporates animation, audio and video clips to create the atmosphere of a live TV-studio game show. By the time the trivia questions turn to the more serious subject of brain injury, players and audience have enjoyed an entertaining mental workout and are primed to absorb important information about TBI (traumatic brain injury) and how they can reduce their risk of serious injury. HeadSmartz events are free of charge for seniors centers and groups of 40+ seniors and/or caregivers throughout the State of Florida. However, due to popular demand, there may be a waiting period.

For information about HeadSmartz, or to schedule a HeadSmartz event, contact Shirley Copeland at scopeland@biaf.org.

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The Office of Injury Prevention within the Department of Health and the Communities of a Lifetime Initiative within the Bureau of Elder Rights, Department of Elder Affairs recently co-sponsored an educational program for people who want to know more about senior falls prevention.  This was done on National Falls Prevention Awareness Day.  The program was a satellite broadcast and a webinar.  If you would like to view the webinar, the link is: http://wfsu.org/vod/doh092209.php.

Read an article about Aging and Behavioral Problems of Brain Injury from the Winter 2010 edition of Age in Action, published by the Virginia Center on Aging and Virginia Department for the Aging.

Read an article about BIAF and our Prevention & Awareness projects for seniors
 from the September 2009 edition of Age Wise, a newsletter distributed by the Florda Association of Aging Providers.

 

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