HOULTON, Maine – The second annual HBMI Elder Fall Prevention Expo proved to be both a fun and informative time for Maliseet elders and the general public alike.
Held at the Maliseet Resource Center, the Expo featured more than 20 different agencies providing information on Elder Fall prevention and overall general health and wellbeing.
“Our goal is for our Elders to see some of the services we offer to help with fall prevention, either at the Maliseet Health and Wellness Center or through various other agencies,” explained Krystal Caron, community health relations/safety officer for the Maliseet Health and Wellness Center.
“We had a very successful Expo this year,” she added. “One of the (vendors) who participated said it was the best Elder Expo they have attended of all the tribes here this year. They were able to connect with other colleagues, enjoyed the environment, and have so much fun. Everyone who was a participant is looking forward to being a part of next year’s event.”
More than 60 people attended this year, with 40 of those being tribal elders. They also had tribal elders travel from Canada. Every elder received a t-shirt, gift card and won a prize. Maine Safe Response attended to fill the gap of Fall Prevention Monitoring Devices for our area needs and Wabanaki Public Health and Wellness was handing out bed rails, motion sensing lights and shower handrails etc.
“Our elders also requested information this year toward elder abuse and Alzheimer’s/dementia evaluations,” Caron added.
The Expo included a “Bingocize” session to expose more elders to the benefits of that program. The tribe regularly holds these sessions, which combine Bingo with physical activity, to improve the overall health and wellbeing of the community.
Bingocize starts its next session on Sept. 29, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5 to 6 p.m. and tai chi classes are currently ongoing Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 to 11 a.m. Come to the Maliseet Health Department for the paperwork to sign up.
One of the more common things people do that are detrimental to their overall wellbeing is avoiding physical activity because they are afraid they might fall.
Caron stressed that maintaining physical activity can be essential toward fall prevention. Activities such as strength training, walking, water workouts or tai chi are often associated with reduced falls among the older population.
Other tips to consider include: wearing sensible shoes; removing home hazards such as loose cables or throw rugs; using nonslip mats in your bathtub or shower; use a bath seat in the shower if you are unsteady on your feet; and make sure your home is adequately illuminated to eliminate dark tripping hazards.
