Page 30 - Preventing Falls: How to Develop Community-based Fall Prevention Programs for Older Adults

Appendix E — Template for Developing a Sustainability Plan
A GUIDE TO IMPLEMENTING EFFECTIVE COMMUNITY-BASED FALL PREVENTION PROGRAMS
• Occupational therapists, who provide
rehabilitation services to older adults
after a fall injury
• Community health workers, who care
for older adults in their homes
To receive reliable referrals, programs have to
be offered on a regular basis and health care
providers must know when and where the
programs are offered.
Think collaboratively
CBOs can facilitate patient referrals to
community fall prevention programs
by building relationships with health
care providers.
See Appendix C for a sample letter to
health care providers to solicit referrals.
When promoting your program to health
care providers, stress that program
participants gain knowledge, skills and
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confidence about preventing falls and
demonstrate measurable improvements
in functional abilities.
Strategies for identifying health care
partners include:
• Finding an organization that shares
common interests and goals as well
as a shared population and begin
a conversation.
• Inviting a health care leader to participate
on a planning committee or in program
outreach. Look for champions who can
speak to their health care peers.
• Learning about opportunities offered
by the Affordable Care Act, such as for
evidence-based fall prevention programs
within Accountable Care Organizations
(ACO), Patient-Centered Medical Homes,
and the Medicare-Medicaid Alignment
Initiative. Information is available at,
www.cms.gov/Medicare-Medicaid-
Coordination/Medicare-and-Medicaid-
Coordination/Medicare-Medicaid-
Coordination-Office/AlignmentInitiative.html
• Identifying areas of mutual interest with
state payers, Medicaid administrators,
Federally Qualified Health Centers, and
professional medical associations, so you
can work on common goals.
Other potential partners that can help with
recruitment and marketing efforts include:
• Aging and Disability Resource Centers
(ADRCs)
• Aging services providers
• Assisted living facilities
• Civic groups
• Employer or retiree organizations