Oshkosh launches another new falls prevention program to keep seniors on their feet

OSHKOSH ― The city is doubling up on its fall prevention programs.

The Oshkosh Fire Department is trying to keep older residents on their feet, having launched a new Call Before You Fall website just a month after partnering with a fall prevention app .

The website, which can be found at https://bit.ly/OshFallPrevention , provides information and resources about fall awareness in an effort to improve the balance of older residents and help them avoid the risk of serious injury.

“This partnership will help us to achieve our goal of making Oshkosh a better place to live and a place to live better for our older adults,” said Oshkosh Fire Department Chief Mike Stanley in a news release.

“We are very excited to be able to provide an additional resource to our community to help prevent falls.”

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According to the release, the website will provide statistics about falls in Oshkosh, data interpretation about falls, and information and links to free fall prevention programs and other community resources.

The news comes just weeks after the department announced its partnership with Denver-based company Nymbl to provide senior Oshkosh residents with a free fall prevention app.

A balance training mobile application, Nymbl is also geared toward helping adults 60 years and older improve their balance.

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The renewed efforts on fall prevention are a result of the frequent incidents of falls the department responds to.

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data, falls are the leading cause of injuries and injury-related deaths among adults ages 65 and older.

And Wisconsin has the highest fall death rate for that demographic across the entire U.S., with the state witnessing more than 1,700 fall-related deaths in 2021.

Have a story tip or public interest concern? Contact Justin Marville at jmarville@gannett.com .

This article originally appeared on Oshkosh Northwestern: Oshkosh launches another new falls prevention program to keep seniors on their feet