Interview with Lori Whittle, Program Manager, Falls Prevention Initiative
Sarasota, Florida

When did you become interested in working with older people?
I have wanted to work with older people as long as I can remember. In the early 2000s, I was ready for a career change so I started taking graduate courses in gerontology at Florida Gulf Coast University.

How did you use the information you learned?
As part of one course, students were asked to develop a program needed by a local senior center. I contacted Senior Friendship Centers (SFC) in Sarasota, Florida, where a program director suggested falls prevention. I spent the next four months researching successful falls prevention programs throughout the world. I presented my findings to the Sarasota County Senior Advisory Council. The chairperson, CEO of SFC, asked me to meet with him. Collaboratively, SFC and I wrote a grant and secured funding from the Community Foundation of Sarasota County for the three-year Falls Prevention Initiative that started in January 2005.

What were the components of the Falls Prevention Initiative (FPI)?
Research showed programs that addressed several causes of falls were the most successful. Studies pointed to four particular areas for intervention: education, medication review, home safety assessment/modification, and balance exercise. Based on these findings, the FPI was developed around these four interventions.

How successful was this design?
Parts were wildly successful and parts were underutilized.

What were your greatest surprises?
On June 15, 2005, the first balance exercise class, called Balance Movement, was held. From that moment on, older people flocked to these classes. Over 1650 people participated in Balance Movement in its first two-and-a-half years. I never thought such zeal for exercise was possible! Also surprising was the great enthusiasm for the educational workshop called How To Get Up From A Fall. It often felt like I was throwing participants a lifeline.

On the other hand, I was surprised that few people were interested in having their medications reviewed. Although we had an agreement with a local pharmacy to provide free reviews, less than 50 people participated. Also surprising was the lack of interest in the home safety modification program in which volunteer handymen provided services. The 103 people who participated were extremely grateful.

What was your most satisfying time while managing the Falls Prevention Initiative?
The day our FPI received the Peter F. Ducker Award for Non-Profit Innovation was the best. It was wonderful to be recognized as innovative by such a prestigious organization.

What was your biggest disappointment?
The priorities of Senior Friendship Centers changed, leaving the highly successful FPI to expire when the original grant was completed. Luckily, Balance Movement classes continue to be held regularly in 15 locations throughout the community.

What can you say about this experience?
I realize how important the prevention of falls is to, most notably, older people. The fear of falling is a visceral, gripping terror that many people feel as they get older. Unfortunately, fear is also the greatest contributor to falls since, when afraid, people limit their activity and, thus, become weaker---leading to falls. There is hope, however.  As a person gets stronger through specific falls-prevention movements, fear lessens as greater stability returns.

What do you plan to do now?
Based on my experience with the FPI, I have started Balance Basics, a business dedicated to helping people stay on their feet. Please visit other areas my website, www.BalanceBasics.net, for information about Balance Basics.