September the month to walk across Holmes County
The Falls Prevention Program of the Holmes County Health District and the Standing Against Falls Coalition will host a virtual Walk Across Holmes County during the month of September to raise falls awareness in the age 60 and over population.
“In 2021 we set an overall walking goal of 4,000 miles. Unfortunately, we fell short of this goal by walking 2,378 miles, but every mile that was walked supported the importance of daily physical activity in preventing falls, and that is something to celebrate,” said Kerry MacQueen, Holmes County General Health District injury prevention coordinator/health educator. “We had 102 individuals who walked, all in the name of falls prevention. Our 2022 goal remains 4,000 miles and can be easily obtained with your help.
“This year we have changed things up a bit. We are not only doing the virtual walk for participants to do every day or just one day in September, but we are also hosting seven in-person walks at local trails throughout Holmes County. During National Falls Prevention Awareness Week, Sept. 18-24, there will be three trail walks including the Patriotic Falls Walk/Health Fair. We added one trail walk the other weeks in September, hoping to get participants of all ages to be involved in the walks. It is all about getting physically active together to prevent falls.”
2022 Walk Across Holmes County trail walks schedule
—Friday, Sept. 2 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Deer Run Park in Millersburg.
—Tuesday, Sept. 6 from 9:30-11 a.m., Nashville Church of Christ Trail in Nashville.
—Wednesday, Sept. 14 from 4-5:30 p.m., Killbuck Cemetery in Killbuck.
—Monday, Sept. 19 from 9:30-11 a.m., Holmes County Board of DD trail in Holmesville.
—Thursday, Sept. 22 from 10 a.m. to noon, Patriotic Falls Walk and Health Fair, Depot/Hipp Station, Millersburg.
—Saturday, Sept. 24 from 10-11:30 a.m., Clark Community Center in Clark.
—Friday, Sept. 30 from 2:30-4 p.m., Berlin Mennonite Church Trail in Berlin.
“Come to one or all of the trail walks,” MacQueen said. “Arrive any time during the 1 ½-hour scheduled trail walk and enjoy the scenery, all in the name of falls prevention. Walk as far as you want too. Individuals can use their steps taken during the walk to go towards the Walk Across Holmes County goal. If you prefer not to register for the Walk Across Holmes County but would still like to participate in a trail walk, that is just fine. We will give you a pedometer to use to track those steps so they can be applied towards our September walking goal.
“We are partnering with the Ohio Department of Aging, the Ohio Department of Health and the National Council on Aging to mark National Falls Prevention Awareness Week, Sept. 18-24, to promote that falls are not a normal part of aging. A Patriotic Falls Walk and Health Fair will be held on Sept. 22, which is National Falls Prevention Awareness Day, from 10 a.m. to noon. This special event will have entertainment, a health fair, door prizes and a falls testimony from a Holmes County citizen. One of the first steps in preventing falls is to become physically active, which is why these trail walks are so important because it gets individuals out moving.”
Register your commitment to participate in the virtual walk and track your steps or miles during September at tinyurl.com/22WalkAcrossHolmesCoRegister.
Registration will be open until Sept. 19. Individuals also can register by calling MacQueen at 330-674-5035 ext. 251.
Anyone can participate in Walk Across Holmes County: individuals, families, businesses, community groups, churches and more. Walking is a safe activity people can do and can be done during lunch or with the family in the evening. People can walk outside on a sidewalk or a country road, follow a walking video inside, or just track the total number of steps taken throughout the day. Increased physical activity, like walking several times a week, is one strategy to lower fall risk.
Falls are an epidemic affecting the older adult population and are the number-one cause of injuries leading to ER visits, hospital stays and deaths in Ohioans age 65 and older. An older Ohioan is injured in a fall every two minutes on average, resulting in an emergency department visit every eight minutes, two hospitalizations per hour and three deaths each day. In addition to the physical toll, falls and the fear of falling contribute to depression, hopelessness and isolation.
Despite these statistics, older adults can take action now. Simple changes can make a big difference.