A group of healthcare professionals is hoping to spread awareness about the seriousness and risks of falling, especially to the aging population. They're making a special presentation in Sheridan this week.
Three million older people are treated in emergency rooms for falls each year, a ccording to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Rita Cherni-Smith, a semi-retired doctor and one of the women working on the presentation, said she hopes the presentation will help educate people on the seriousness of falling.
"We want to educate people on their own personal risks. We want to talk about what happens when people experience falls, and we want to educate people on what they can do to prevent falls," Cherni-Smith said.
According to the CDC, "one out of every five falls causes a serious injury, such as a broken bone or head injury."
Cherni-Smith, Judy McDowell, a nurse practitioner in Sheridan and Liz Rossa, a physical therapist, saw a need in educating people about the risks.
"Wyoming is an older state, and Sheridan County has a lot of older people," Cherni-Smith said. "And I'm an aging Baby Boomer, myself...And if I have risks, then others have risks. And that's what spurred me on. So I thought maybe we can do something about this."
Cherni-Smith said exercise is a proven way to prevent falls.
"We're not asking people to run half marathons or even go to the gym and lift weights, but to do simple things like standing up from a chair multiple times a day without using your arms," she said.
Cherni-Smith said the group is interested in spreading its message and wants to travel around the state to educate people on the topic.
The presentation will be at Sheridan's senior center, The Hub on Smith at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday.
