THE NEED

The Falling LinKS Toolkit is a spiral-bound 56-page color booklet, designed to address a major deficit in fall risk reduction programming: the lack of materials for older adults who live in rural areas with a shortage in healthcare professionals. The Toolkit is built upon the recommendations for fall risk reduction published by the National Council on Aging (NCOA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The Toolkit uses publicly available instruments and materials to address these recommendations and adapts them for the rural context. The Toolkit is organized into sections based on the NCOA and CDC recommendations (i.e., physical activity, medication review, vision screening and home safety evaluation). Each section includes instruments, information on the purpose and use, and materials tailored for individual, volunteer and/or community use.

BENEFITS

Each section can stand alone, allowing individuals, communities and organizations to pick and choose one or more content sections and implementation strategies based on need.

APPLICATION

• Long term care providers, particularly Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs)
• Area Agencies on Aging
• Trauma Councils, as well as hospital inpatient trauma units
• Home health providers and services
• Public health departments
• Departments on aging in city and county government, state departments on aging
• Emergency medical services

OPPORTUNITY

• Available for license/purchase
• Registered Copyright
• Potential for ongoing collaboration with inventors and Wichita State University Researchers