Walk Across Holmes County aims to raise falls awareness

Staff Report
·3 min read

The Falls Prevention Program of the Holmes County Health District and the Standing Against Falls Coalition are committed to empowering older adults to age well and stay falls-free. Again, this year they are hosting a virtual Walk Across Holmes County during September to raise falls awareness in the ages 60 and over population.

“In 2021, we set an overall walking goal of 4,000 miles. Unfortunately, we fell short of this goal by walking 2,378 miles, but every mile that was walked supported the importance of daily physical activity in preventing falls, and that is something to celebrate, said Kerry MacQueen, Holmes County General Health District’s injury prevention coordinator/health educator, in a news release. "We had 102 individuals who walked all in the name of falls prevention. Our 2022 goal remains 4,000 miles and can be easily obtained with your help."

In addition to the virtual walks, there will be seven in-person walks at trails in Holmes County. During National Falls Prevention Awareness Week, Sept. 18-24, the trail walk will be during the Patriotic Falls Walk/Health Fair.

The walk schedule is:

  • Friday, Sept. 2, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Deer Run Park, Millersburg

  • Tuesday, Sept 6, 9:30-11 a.m., Nashville Church of Christ Trail, Nashville

  • Wednesday, Sept. 14, 4-5:30 p.m., Killbuck Cemetery, Killbuck

  • Monday, Sept. 19, 9:30-11 a.m., Holmes County Board of Developmental Disabilities trail, Holmesville

  • Thursday, Sept. 22, 10 a.m.-noon, Patriotic Falls Walk & Health Fair, Millersburg Depot/Hipp Station, Millersburg

  • Saturday, Sept. 24, 10-11:30 a.m., Clark Community Center, Clark

  • Friday, Sept 30, 2:30-4 p.m., =Berlin Mennonite Church Trail, Berlin

Everyone, no matter the age, invited to take walks

“Come to one or all of the trail walks. Arrive any time during the 1½ hour scheduled trail walk and enjoy the scenery all in the name of falls prevention," MacQueen said in the release. "Walk as far as you want too. Individuals can use their steps taken during the walk to go toward the Walk Across Holmes County goal. If you prefer not to register for the Walk Across Holmes County, but would still like to participate in a trail walk that is just fine. We will give you a pedometer to use to track those steps so they can be applied towards our September walking goal.”

Holmes County is partnering with the Ohio Department of Aging, the Ohio Department of Health and the National Council on Aging to mark National Falls Prevention Awareness Week to promote that falls are not a normal part of aging, according to the release.

During the Patriotic Falls Walk and Health Fair on Sept. 22, which is National Falls Prevention Awareness Day, there will be entertainment, a health fair, door prizes and a falls testimony from a Holmes County citizen.

"One of the first steps in preventing falls is to become physically active, which is why these trail walks are so important because it gets individuals out moving!” MacQueen said in the release.

Register for the virtual walk and track steps or miles during September at: https://tinyurl.com/22WalkAcrossHolmesCoRegister.

Registration will be open until Sept. 19. People also can also register via phone by calling MacQueen at 330-674-5035 Ext. 251.

Anyone can participate in Walk Across Holmes County. Individuals, families, businesses, community groups, churches, etc.

Falls are an epidemic affecting the older adult population, and are the No. 1 cause of injuries leading to emergency room visits, hospital stays and deaths in Ohioan’s ages 65 and older, according to the release. An older Ohioan is injured in a fall every two minutes on average, resulting in an emergency department visit every eight minutes, two hospitalizations per hour and three deaths each day.

For more information, call MacQueen at 330-674-5035, Ext. 251.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Holmes County Health District is standing against up against falls