During Falls Prevention Awareness Week, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is partnering with the Michigan Falls Prevention Coalition, GetSetUp and the National Council on Aging to promote online tools designed to help older adults reduce their risk of falls, one of the greatest causes of serious injuries and death among people older than age 65.

As part of this effort, an online falls risk assessment is being made available at no cost to individuals across the country. Michiganders are encouraged to go to NCOA’s Falls Free CheckUp — https://www.ncoa.org/tools/falls-free-checkup/ — to complete a short survey that screens for the most common fall risk factors, the MDHHS advised in a news release.

“MDHHS has a strong history of helping older residents across the state,” said Elizabeth Hertel, MDHHS director. “We’re proud to be part of this national education and outreach initiative that is helping millions of older adults age well and stay fall free. We encourage people to visit the website for a free assessment.”

GetSetUp, an online social learning platform for older adults, is also offering free fall prevention classes that can be accessed online at https://www.getsetup.io/. Additionally, a four-week program designed to help reduce the risk of falls and build confidence in movement is also available online.

“Falls can be life-changing, but so can prevention,” said Lawrence Kosick, president and co-founder of GetSetUp. “We’re honored to partner with MDHHS to empower older adults with tools that build confidence, improve balance and foster independence. Our fall prevention classes are designed by and for older adults – making wellness education relatable, effective and engaging.”

The Michigan Falls Prevention Coalition recently announced a new resource to help older adults, caregivers and health care providers access trusted fall prevention services across the state. The Michigan 211 Fall Prevention feature page at https://mi211.org/fall-prevention offers a one-stop directory of programs designed to help older residents stay healthy, safe and independent.

Each year, thousands of older Michigan residents experience falls that can be prevented with the right resources and information. From exercise classes to improve balance to home safety modifications, nutrition support and medical equipment, the Fall Prevention feature page can guide residents to local resources.

Residents can access resources by:

— Calling 211 to speak with a live operator who can guide them to services in their area. Watch how to access fall prevention resources by phone at https://youtu.be/l4ApVfXWW24.

— Going to Find Help – Michigan 211 and clicking on the Fall Prevention feature page to search for nearby programs. Watch how to find fall prevention programs online at https://youtu.be/pm8vGErLWL4.

Can’t find a program near you? New programs are added regularly. If your search doesn’t return results, call 211 to get connected to the local Area Agency on Aging or community-based services that may not yet appear online.

Help spread the word You can make a difference. Share this new feature with friends, family and neighbors. Follow the Michigan Falls Prevention Coalition on Facebook at MI Falls Prevention and on Instagram @mifallsprevention to stay updated.

For more information, go to the 211 Falls Prevention page or the Michigan Falls Prevention Coalition’s website at https://mifallsprevention.org/.