The Paid Leave Podcast

How to Prevent Dangerous Falls as We Age

• The Connecticut Paid Leave Authority • Season 3 • Episode 23

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 In this episode of The Paid Leave Podcast, we are talking about healthy aging and falls prevention. Falls are the leading cause of injury for those 65 and older adults. Over 14 million, or one in 4 older adults reports falling every year. The risks and potential consequences of falls increase with age and can lead to injury, loss of independence and are a leading cause of death in the U.S. among the 65 and older age group, according to fall statistics from the Centers for Disease and Prevention. Angela Vasquez is the Healthy Aging Program Coordinator for the Bureau of Aging in Connecticut. Angela has been working in the field of public health and community-based research for more than a decade.  We discuss how to prevent falls, what to do to make a plan to stay in your home as you age, and how prevention can really help you age in a healthy way.

To get in touch with the Bureau of Aging please call: 1-800-994-9422

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Nancy Barrow:

Hello Connecticut, and welcome to The Paid Leave Podcast. The title basically says it all. I'm Nancy Barrow, and I will be delving into this new state program and how it can help you and your family. This podcast will give you information you should know about Connecticut Paid Leave and maybe just a little bit more. Connecticut Paid Leave brings peace of mind to your home, family and workplace. Welcome to The Paid Leave Podcast. Fall Prevention Awareness Week, with a theme "from awareness to action", is September 23rd through the 27th of this year. Falls are the leading cause of injury for adults ages 65 years and older and over 14 million, or one in four older adults, reports falling every year. And the risks and potential consequences of falls increase with age. Individuals age 65 and older are prone to serious fall related injuries that can affect their ability to remain independent. So as the baby boomers age, how can they prevent falls and injuries and even death? Angela Vasquez is the Healthy Aging Program Coordinator for the Bureau of Aging in Connecticut. She earned a Master's of Public Health from UConn and a Master's in Science and Nutrition from the University of St Joseph. Angela has been working in the field of public health and community based research for more than a decade, and welcome to The Paid Leave Podcast.

Angela Vasquez:

Thanks so much for having me.

Nancy Barrow:

And you've used Connecticut Paid Leave, and we'll get to that later, Angela, but so happy to have you here and talking about this growing issue, because aging Americans are a growing population.

Angela Vasquez:

And we're all aging. Everyone's getting older, so it's something that we all need to think about.

Nancy Barrow:

Yeah. So tell me a little bit about what you do as the Healthy Aging Program Coordinator.

Angela Vasquez:

Sure. So in my position, I am the Healthy Aging Program Coordinator, as you said, with the Bureau of aging, the Bureau of aging is positioned within the Department of Aging and Disability Services, so we specifically support and serve older adults, 60 and older. And in my position, I oversee health promotion and disease prevention services and programs. So most of our work is funded through the Older Americans Act. It's kind of like our instructions manual, so we we follow that act, and one of the titles under that Act, Title 3D is for health promotion, disease prevention. So we pass through those funds to the area agencies on aging, which are our community partners on the ground, doing great work. Um

Nancy Barrow:

Do you have a lot of partners ?

Angela Vasquez:

So we primarily work with the area agencies on aging, but there are other Aging Network stakeholders that we partner with, but the area agencies on aging are really the leaders in each region. We have five of them in Connecticut, so they receive that title 3d funding to offer evidence based health promotion programs. So those are high quality, effective and free programs for older adults in Connecticut.

Nancy Barrow:

What are some of those programs like? What do you do to help assist older Americans in their daily life?

Angela Vasquez:

Yeah, so you gave a lot of great facts on falls, so one of the programs that we offer are falls prevention programming. And as a compliment to that, we offer different fitness programs, because we know that, you know, exercise, mobility, balance and strength training are really important as we age. In addition to that, we have live well, which is our statewide chronic disease self management program, and that is offered by all five triple A's, and that is a six week workshop where you really build skills and confidence around managing your ongoing health conditions. So that could be high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes. So that is one program that's offered throughout the state. Yeah, you don't think about stuff like that. Yeah, and another program that you might not think about, it's called Mind over matter, and it's specifically for women. It's a group based program for women who are struggling with bladder control. So that's something that you don't usually talk about, that's kind of taboo So, but that's been very well received.

Nancy Barrow:

That's interesting that you're focusing on that in women, because, you know, I feel like sometimes women are forgotten. So that's great that you're thinking about that program.

Angela Vasquez:

Yeah, absolutely. So that's offered in North Central and the eastern part of the state.

Nancy Barrow:

I hear more and more older people lifting weights, or you see them in groups or having like classes. And I've always known that weights help with bone density. How important is it to be physical? Maybe get into a gym or a class, and you said there's some free ones to help with mobility, if one is available to you.

Angela Vasquez:

Yeah so the title 3D health promotion programs are offered for free, so sometimes those can be offered directly by the Area Agency on Aging, but also they partner with senior centers with YMCAs to offer these programs. And of course, staying mobile and active as you age is so important, so that you know, in the example of falls, if you start to stumble, you can write yourself and kind of gain your balance back. So those things are so important just to maintain over over the lifespan.

Nancy Barrow:

Yeah you, if you don't use it, you're going to lose Yes, exactly, exactly. What role does nutrition play in overall health and well being of older adults.

Angela Vasquez:

So yeah, that's another thing that's even related to falls prevention. So if you want to make sure that you're eating a healthy, balanced diet rich in calcium, so you maintain your bones. So that helps with, you know, falls prevention, but also just maintaining good health as you age, and preventing chronic, ongoing health conditions. So some of our health promotion programs do focus on nutrition, but we also have the elderly nutrition program, so we have a nutritionist on staff at the Bureau of aging that oversees that program and make sure that all the congregate meals are are balanced and health healthy, and even the the meals that are delivered to those who are homebound. So just making sure that everyone has access to those healthy meals.

Nancy Barrow:

I mean I think that really is overall healthy are what you eat. So yes, exactly, some older adults were interviewed for a study, and they asked them, What does successful aging mean to you? And they said it was the balance between self acceptance and self contentedness on one hand, and engagement with life and self growth in later life on the other. And this sort of supports the concept of wisdom as a major contributor to successful aging. How important is it to have social engagement along with effective coping strategies and things like that? How important is social engagement for older adults?

Angela Vasquez:

Yeah so as we talk about healthy aging, it's easy to think about, you know, exercise and nutrition that comes to mind for anybody of any age. Social connections are so important to anybody, but especially as we age, and there's that bi directional relationship with our physical health too. So if you're dealing with a chronic health condition and you isolate because of that, or you're limited because of that, you become more lonely or lacking those social connections. But that lack of social connection also negatively impacts your health, and there's research that shows that loneliness is detrimental to your health just as much as smoking or obesity or lack of physical exercise. So there is a significant impact that occurs. So it's something we need to be mindful of. And especially as you age, there's some some natural disconnections that may happen. As your loved ones may pass away, you may get disconnected. And it's just something that's, you know, expected that happens? So if you don't have that resiliency or those resources to help you continue to be socially connected your health, could, you, know, take, take an impact by that.

Nancy Barrow:

Yeah, it's, it's, it's interesting. And how do you address the mental health needs of older adults? Like my grandmother was taking care of my grandfather, who was who ended up going into a nursing home, and she got really depressed and suicidal. So luckily, she did not, yeah, but she was very depressed. And so how can we help them with the mental health services that they need?

Angela Vasquez:

Yeah, so our health promotion programs, many of them are group based. So there is that natural social connection inherent in those programs. So if you're meeting with a group of people for six week, you're you're making friendships. They're often confronting similar life challenges as you so you're connecting on that level. So there, there is that. And then we do have some of the health promotion programs do focus more specifically on mental health, but we like to say that depression is not a normal part of aging. It shouldn't be expected.

Nancy Barrow:

How important is it to keep people in their homes if they want to stay there?

Angela Vasquez:

Yeah that, and that's a big part of our mission at the Department of Aging and Disability Services, is giving those people the choice to be independent and have the resources and services available so that they can age in place. Is a term that we use, and some of the support that we also. Offer is for caregivers, which is super important in terms of helping older adults stay at home longer. If you have those caregivers in place, people can stay at home and be be active in their communities for a longer amount of time. Yeah, and we do have some team members at the Bureau of aging that specifically look at caregiving. So if you have any questions about that, or you want to learn more about those services, you can always give us a call. Yep,

Nancy Barrow:

I was listening to Suze Orman, who said that most Americans are working until they're 70, and the trend is growing, especially with inflation prices like people can't not work, you know, if thing, if they can't afford things, and most likely, if they're working, they're covered under Connecticut paid leave. So if you fall you can take time off from work to care for your own serious health condition or mental health issues. And Connecticut paid leave can give up to 12 weeks of income replacement while you get the help that you need. How important are programs like Connecticut Paid Leave to older working Americans?

Angela Vasquez:

Yeah, so I could imagine, if you have a certain life event that you need to take time off. You know, as an older adult, Connecticut Paid Leave could be a critical resource, especially if you're dealing with a reduced income, and you just need some something to fill in the gap, and then during those times, you can take advantage of some of these free programs and services so that you can get back up on your feet and set yourself up for success. But yeah, I think Connecticut paid leave is a great resource regardless of your age.

Nancy Barrow:

Yeah, and what are some key considerations when a family may be developing, like a care plan for an older adult? Do you guys have any advice in that aspect of it, like, are we going to have to take her, you know, into a nursing home or into a facility that's like, one of those progressive facilities she can live on her own, and then if she needs extra help, she can get that.

Angela Vasquez:

Yeah, so every everyone's situation is so unique, and we would want to personalize a plan to each person, and it really depends on what that older adult is dealing with, whether it's dementia or Alzheimer's. You know, there's unique needs for those older adults, whether it's another older adult who's confronted with an ongoing health condition. So you would really want to tailor a plan to the older adult, but I can't recommend enough the area agencies on aging. They're really the go to if you have any questions at all, I really recommend reaching out to your local agency, and just to put in another plug, we also have the State Health Insurance Program. We call it choices. So as somebody is aging and they start to get to the point where they're eligible for Medicare, there's a lot of questions around that, in terms of, how do i What's the best plan for me?

Nancy Barrow:

How do you navigate that that's a lot.

Angela Vasquez:

So kind of complimenting making a plan for caregiving or aging in place, in terms of navigating the process of getting on Medicare, I definitely recommend reaching out to an area agency on aging and asking for a choices counselor.

Nancy Barrow:

I know that you were talking about Alzheimer's and and any kind of dementia. Are there any strategies that you can use to address kind of a cognitive decline associated with aging?

Angela Vasquez:

Yeah, so I think it all kind of interconnects, right? If you're taking good care of yourself, you're eating well, you're staying active, you're staying socially connected. You're having some sort of mental stimulation, you're staying connected to family and friends. All of those combined, really set yourself up to age well, and that includes dementia. Everything is so interconnected, it's hard to just isolate one thing, but as a whole, I think just trying to make lifestyle choices and making sure that you're in, you know, a conducive environment to age well, is so important.

Nancy Barrow:

Yeah, I do think staying connected. How do you handle difficult conversations with older people who can't drive anymore. I think losing that independence must be really difficult.

Angela Vasquez:

Yeah, transportation is definitely a question that we get all the time. It's definitely a challenge. We don't have all of the solutions yet, kind of helping an older adult figure out other options, and also overcoming the hesitation to ask for help, because I think that's part of wanting to be independent, doing things on your own, having that agency. So even just taking the step to have that conversation with a family or our neighbor or friend, just to ask, like, Hey, can you give me a ride to this appointment? On this day, yeah, and giving them that advanced notice so that they can plan, because I'm sure, you know, most people are happy to help if they can, you know, if they're available. So just overcoming that, that state of mind, that even if I have to ask, it's okay, you know.

Nancy Barrow:

Yeah, I think that's that's interesting. What steps do you take to ensure like, cultural competency when working with older adults from like, diverse backgrounds? And are there inequities when you're talking about older Americans and how they're cared for?

Angela Vasquez:

Yeah, so there's definitely health inequities across the lifespan that I think we're, you know, as a state trying to tackle from many different fronts. In terms of the programs that I help oversee for Title 3d health promotion services, they have to be evidence based programs, meaning that there's research and evidence behind them, and they're proven to translate well into many different communities. So these programs are proven effective for whoever participates. So whether it's offered in a rural setting or an urban setting to different demographics, it should still have the same effect. And of course, we want to make sure that programs are not only free, but accessible and welcoming to everyone, so that's definitely a priority for us, and we just started training some of our live well leaders in the Spanish version, so that is going to be available in Spanish this year, which I'm excited about.

Nancy Barrow:

What about fall prevention week. What are you hoping that people take away from this week and this podcast? Because I do think falls are really listen, I've fallen, yeah, I think we've all fallen. And then you think about it, and you're like, maybe I need to get to the gym.

Angela Vasquez:

Yeah we've all fallen. We all know somebody who has fallen, yeah, falls are on the rise. So we definitely want to raise awareness about this issue, and we know that a lot of falls are preventable. There are things that we can do, whether it's making home modifications, changing our footwear, even just reviewing the medications that you're taking and understanding the side effects. There's so much that we can do to prevent a fall, so we want to make sure that people are aware of their risk and aware of the things that they can do to prevent a fall. And this year, we're also excited to be kicking off falls free CT, which is our new statewide Falls Prevention Coalition. So there was a similar effort that tried to get off the ground right before the pandemic, but then, for obvious reasons, covid took priority, so we're trying to bring that back. So it's launching the week before Falls Prevention Awareness Week, so we can release some new data on falls in Connecticut and wonderful, yeah, hopefully get people excited about Falls Prevention Awareness Week.

Nancy Barrow:

Yeah you don't think about it until you do fall Yeah, right, you know, they don't think about that. And it really is. It's all about prevention. And, you know, I think, like you said, strength training is really important no matter what age you were at.

Angela Vasquez:

Yeah I kind of think of my my Nana. So I grew up with my grandmother in the house. I come from an Italian family, and she was very active. She She went from the basement to the second floor her whole life. So getting that activity, I think, was so important. And she did take a fall once from the second floor all the way to the first floor. She was home alone at the time, but she was well enough to get up and call somebody and let them know what happened. So I kind of think of her when I think of false prevention, because I'm sure she was wearing her slippers and or she was carrying something and she wasn't keeping her hand on the railing. So there's definitely things that could have been done maybe to prevent that. So I kind of think of her, but I know that she was so active, so so strong and healthy that it didn't affect her as much.

Nancy Barrow:

So Connecticut Paid Leave can help give income replacement to caregivers of older adults who may have fallen and gotten hurt. We give 12 weeks of income replacement, whether taken all at once in a block or intermittently or reduced schedule from work and caregivers are so vitally important to older Americans. Being able to get income replacement really allows caregivers not to have to make that really tough decision of you know, I have to take care of my loved one, but I can't work if I have to take care of her. How do you think caregiver leave can help people that you serve?

Angela Vasquez:

Yeah. So in terms of caregivers, they are so vitally important to many of our older adults, and we really celebrate them and want to support them. So having that respite or that leave or that break, just to avoid burnout, so that they can take care of themselves, and then they can take care of the older adults in their lives, I think that's so important.

Nancy Barrow:

Tell me your story about how you used Connecticut Paid Leave.

Angela Vasquez:

Yeah, so this is not related to older adults at all, but 2020, was a big year for me. I started a new job, I bought a house, I got married, and then I also got pregnant, and unfortunately, not too long after that, ended in a miscarriage. And to help address that, I needed surgery. And then I think with everything that my body had gone through, I also ended up in the emergency room with a gallbladder infection, so that had to be removed right then and there. So with all of that combined, I needed some time off, especially because I was new to my job. This was before I was at the state so, yeah, I just needed the extra time, and Connecticut Paid leave was there for me.

Nancy Barrow:

And I think it's such a an important time for you to take time for yourself. Yeah, a lot of people don't realize that, that, you know, you may need mental health after that too, because it's really, it's, it's a really devastating thing that happened to you.

Angela Vasquez:

Yeah, miscarriage is definitely not just a physical process. It's, it's an emotional process. You're grieving. So, yeah, it was very helpful.

Nancy Barrow:

Yeah I'm so glad that we could help you. Angela, I think it in that time. I mean, I think it's so important that you can have services that can can really help you, yeah, and heal.

Angela Vasquez:

And it's so good to know that it's there, because even earlier this year, unfortunately, I lost a daughter to miscarriage, so just knowing that it's there in case I need it, because we don't know what our journey is going to be like to grow our family. So knowing that that support is available is so reassuring.

Nancy Barrow:

Yeah and I'm so sorry that you have to go through that, I mean, but I'm thankful that we give you something that you know you can take the time that you need.

Angela Vasquez:

Yeah, it's not something that you really want to need to take, but it's, it's so comforting to know that it's there if you need it.

Nancy Barrow:

such a powerful story that you had to tell, besides all this wonderful stuff that you're talking about with, you know, fall prevention, I really feel that that was really powerful. And, you know, you might help somebody else going through this.

Angela Vasquez:

Yeah I think miscarriage is not really talked about a lot, and I think women feel like they need to go through it on their own and just kind of get through it. And some people have a miscarriage and then they go to work the next day. But it doesn't need to be like that.

Nancy Barrow:

Yeah no, it really doesn't. And and I'm thankful that we could help you. I think that that's really amazing. Getting back to our topic, and and hopefully you won't need us anymore. Yeah, thank you. But how can they get in touch with you? If they need to get in touch with you?

Angela Vasquez:

Sure, so the Bureau of aging, we have a one 800 line so you can reach us at 1-800-994-9422 again, that's 1-800-994-9422 we have somebody on the line every day ready to help you and answer your questions. So definitely reach out.

Nancy Barrow:

Awesome Angela Vasquez, the Healthy Aging Program Coordinator for the Bureau of aging. Thank you so much for all this information. Thank you for being here and talking about fall prevention. I think a lot of people who are 60 plus are worried about that, and so we appreciate you talking about caregivers and everything else that you've talked about in your personal journey with Connecticut Paid Leave. Thank you so much for being on The Paid Leave Podcast.

Angela Vasquez:

Thank you for having me.

Nancy Barrow:

To get more information or to apply for benefits. Please go to ctpaidleave.org This has been another edition of The Paid Leave Podcast. Please like and subscribe, so you'll be notified about new podcasts that become available Connecticut Paid Leave is a public act with a personal purpose. I'm Nancy Barrow, and thanks for listening.

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