The Falls Prevention Program of Holmes & Wayne, under
the guidance of the Holmes County General Health District, and the Standing
Against Falls Coalition are committed to empowering adults age 60 and over living
in Holmes and Wayne counties to live a healthy, falls-free life.
This year they
will host a virtual Take A Hike! during September to raise
falls awareness in the age 60 and over population and to show falls are not a
natural part of aging.
“Now that the Falls Prevention Program is a regional program,
we are excited to help promote falls prevention and the importance of daily
physical activity to Wayne County as well as Holmes County,” said Kerry
MacQueen, Holmes County General Health District health educator/injury prevention
coordinator.
For the 2024 Take A Hike! event, organizers set an overall
walking goal of 2,500 miles. The final total reached 1,772 miles, falling short
of the target, but each mile contributed to raising awareness about the
importance of daily physical activity in preventing falls. A total of 150
individuals participated in one or all six of the trail walks, with the top
five walkers collectively logging 485 miles. The goal for 2025 remains 2,500
miles.
In September seven trail walks will be offered, with six
held at various sites in Holmes County and one in Wayne County. The walks aim
to introduce residents of both counties to available trails. Fitness stops will
again be included this year, demonstrating basic exercises designed to improve
strength, balance and flexibility.
Participants are encouraged to attend one or all of the
trail walks, arriving at any time during the one-hour scheduled session. Walkers
may cover any distance and can count their steps toward the Take A Hike! goal.
Those who do not register for the challenge are still welcome to participate
and will receive a pedometer to track steps for inclusion in September’s total.
“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.
The program is partnering with the Ohio Department of Aging,
the Ohio Department of Health and the National Council on Aging to observe
National Falls Prevention Awareness Week, Sept. 21-27, promoting the message
that falls are not a natural part of aging. Three trail walks will be held that
week including the ninth annual Patriotic Falls Walk on Sept. 24 from 10 a.m.
to noon at the Hipp Station/Millersburg Depot in Millersburg. Attendees are
encouraged to arrive at 10 a.m. to take part in all festivities, which will
include entertainment, vendors, and health screenings such as fall risk,
hearing, blood pressure and tobacco. Holmes County EMA Director and East Holmes
Fire/EMS Capt. Jason Troyer will speak on the importance of falls prevention
within the community.
The Take A Hike! trail walks will take place Friday, Sept. 5
from 9-10 a.m. at Deer Run Park Trail in Millersburg (Holmes); Tuesday, Sept. 9
from 9:30-10:30 a.m. at Nashville Church of Christ Trail in Nashville (Holmes);
Monday, Sept. 15 from 9:30-10:30 a.m. at Oak Hill Park in Wooster (Wayne);
Thursday, Sept. 18 from 2-3 p.m. at Berlin Mennonite Church Trail in Berlin
(Holmes); Monday, Sept. 22 from 9:30-10:30 a.m. at Holmes County Board of DD
Trail in Holmesville (Holmes); Wednesday, Sept. 24 from 10 a.m. to noon at
Patriotic Falls Walk and Health Fair, Hipp Station/Millersburg Depot,
Millersburg (Holmes); and Saturday, Sept. 27 from 10-11 a.m. at Clark Community
Center Trail in Clark (Holmes).
Anyone can register to participate in the virtual walk and
track their steps or miles during September by visiting go.osu.edu/hwtakeahike or registering
by calling MacQueen at 330-674-5035 ext. 251.
