Empower Seniors to Lead Healthy, Independent Lives

Tower One/ Tower East received funding through our local Jewish Federation Matching Grant to introduce a Fall Prevention Program to community seniors and families. Our goal is to reconnect seniors within the community and help rebuild social ties through encouragement and participation.

It’s no secret that Social Isolation has been demonstrated to lead to numerous detrimental health effects in older adults, including increased risk for all-cause mortality, dementia, depression, increased risk for re-hospitalization and an increased number of falls.

Our primary objective is to execute a successful Fall Prevention Program reducing falls, emergency room visits and prevent seniors from prematurely moving on to a higher level of care.

Our strategy includes building stronger partnerships with local Synagogues while reaching homebound seniors in the community through education and programing.

Hosted by Synagogues and lead by our team of trained professional staff; we will offer a series for fall prevention in the community and encourage members, families and care providers to participate.

Based on recommendations from the Center for Disease Control, The National Safety Council and The US Product Safety Commission and developed by Industry professionals for people at risk, this series will incorporate 6 areas focused on fall prevention.

6 part fall prevention lecture series:

• Preventing falls one step at a time
• Exercise! It works; it’s safe, and it’s fun!
• Medication Management
• Vision Screening, Resources and Education
• Clearing Clutter- Self Home Assessments
• Should I stay or should I go?

6 part exercise series:

• Arthritis Exercise Class
• Tai-Chi
• Relax, Rejuvenate, and Improve Balance
• Modern Dance – New Trends in Positive Aging
• Silver Sneakers
• Yoga

Visual aids such as brochures, fact sheets, and checklists will be distributed and participants will be encouraged to share personal experiences with the goal of reducing anxiety and increase motivation to develop new behaviors. The series will be delivered by trained professionals andwill include practical assessments, evaluation worksheets and comment / recommendation forms for participants.

The Towers Foundation raised over $78,000.00 and was awarded this match grant from the Greater New Haven Jewish Federation/Foundation for a total of $156,000.00 dedicated to senior programing in the community. We feel this is just the beginning of an extended outreach program designed to combat social isolation amongst our Jewish Seniors and provide families and caregivers the tools they need to keep their loved ones safe and at home.

In addition to our 326 residents and their family members we expect this program has the potential, over the next 36 months, to serve 500 seniors in the Greater New Haven area including 1000 family members and caregivers providing support to those at risk.