About F1RST
F1RST (Fall Intervention - Reaching Seniors Together) is a community-wide, collaborative effort dedicated to reducing the trauma, injuries and deaths caused by falls in our older population.
The program is based on ideas from FALLS FREE: Promoting a National Falls Prevention Action Plan.
Through awareness, education and training, F1RST engages older adults, their adult children and caregivers in an effort to reduce the trauma and injuries caused by falling.
Five key risk areas have been identified:
- Home Safety
- Medication Management
- Physical Activity and Mobility
- Environmental Issues
- Cross-cutting Issues
Volunteer task groups representing each of these risk areas are developing action steps and projects providing a myriad of solutions to reduce injury and fatality from falls in an effort to preserve quality of life for our older population.
F1RST has formed a Leadership Committee consisting of 5 partners:
- Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging
- University of Nebraska Omaha
- United Way of the Midlands
- Visiting Nurse Association
- National Safety Council, Nebraska
Working with health directors of Douglas, Sarpy, Cass, Washington, Dodge counties in Nebraska and Council Bluffs and Pottawattamie County in Iowa and the Volunteer task group chairs, the Leadership Committee oversees the successful development and implementation of initiatives. The Nebraska Chapter of the National Safety Council has accepted the responsibility as the lead organization.
Our community-wide Advisory committee consists of members of the task groups from community agencies, businesses, educational institutions, health care providers, medical professionals, aging services professionals and specialists, community/public health professionals, and other stakeholders make up the community-wide Advisory Committee.
Leadership Committee members:
- James Summerfelt, PT, Visiting Nurse Association - Chair
- Kay Farrell, National Safety Council, Nebraska
- Adi Pour, Douglas County Health Department
- Brandi H. Tumbleson, MA, Three Rivers Health Department
- Donn Dierks, Council Bluffs Health Department
- Kay Welsh & Sarah Matlock, Co-Chairs for Home Modification Task Group
- James Summerfelt, Visiting Nurse Association, Chair for Medication Management Task Group
- Paul Mullen, MAPA, Chair for Enviromental Safety Task Group
- Dianne Kelly, Sarpy/Cass County Health Department
- Grace Knott PT , Hillcrest Health Systems
- Robert Prucha, MPA, HomeAide,Visiting Nurse Association
- Joseph Ka-Chun Siu PT PhD, University of Nebraska Medical Center
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