PULSE Magazine | March 2019 Issue

Community Relations

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BE SAFE

STAY SAFE

The Austin-Travis County EMS Community Relations & Injury Prevention Team helps the public to stay safe by providing injury prevention programming that helps mitigate the risk of preventable injuries; including those that can result in traumatic brain injury (TBI). Our Child Passenger Safety, Safe Baby Academy and Senior Home Safety programs address a variety of safety concerns and issues to help keep our community safe.

SENIOR HOME SAFETY PROGRAM

The Austin-Travis County EMS Injury Prevention team has developed a program that incorporates training and resources for seniors at risk and fall prevention strategies call for patients to change their behaviors by:

• Attending a fall prevention program • Doing prescribed exercises at home • Changing their home environment to identify and eliminate trip hazards

We have partnered with the Seton and St. David’s Hospital networks in Austin to provide the “Stepping On” Program. The Stepping On program incorporates a group setting with individualized follow-up. It covers a range of issues, including:

• Falls and risk • Strength and balance exercises

• Home hazards • Safe footwear • Vision and falls

• Safety in public places • Community mobility • Coping after a fall • Understanding how to initiate medication review

We have a team of trained personnel who conduct FREE in-home safety assessments to identify potential risks and hazards in the home environment. The in-home safety assessment is a room-by- room survey of the client’s living space to identify hazards for trips, slips and falls.

Residents of Austin can request a free in-home safety assessment by calling the EMS Safety Hotline at 512-972 SAFE (7233) or by visiting our website and filling out an electronic Fall Prevention Home Visit Referral Form.

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