YSU partners with Ohio Living Park Vista to prevent falls

Youngstown State University and Ohio Living Park Vista will partner on Project VIBE, a research and community service project aimed at promoting balance and reducing falls among Mahoning Valley residents age 65 and over.

Project VIBE, or Valley Initiative to promote Balance among the Elderly, is seeking volunteers to answer questions relating to balance and falls, and undergo a balance assessment. Assessments will take place on Monday, April 17; Wednesday, April 19; Monday, April 24 and Wednesday, April 26, from 9 a.m. to noon, at Ohio Living Park Vista, 1216 Fifth Ave., Youngstown.

The information will be used to examine prevalence of and factors leading to falls, the impact falls have on health, and fall prevention all in an effort of raising awareness and increasing safety for those at risk.

“We continuously seek to improve the lives of our residents and patients,” said Brian Kolenich, executive director of Ohio Living Park Vista. “Collaborating on this program with a great research partner like YSU will help us to do so by pinpointing causes of falls and balance problems, and to increase safety for those 65 and older.”

The study has four aims:

• Examine the prevalence and incidence of falls in the community
• Examine factors associated with prevalence and incidence of falls in the community
• Examine the impact of falls on community elders
• Examine fall prevention behaviors