Activity Guide

The theme for Older Americans Month 2014 is “Safe Today. Healthy 

Tomorrow.” With this theme, we recognize older adults for their contributions 

and sacrifices by helping them stay safe and active as they age. The theme 

focuses on injury prevention and safety to encourage older adults to protect 

themselves and remain active and independent for as long as possible.

Unintentional injuries to this population result in at least 6 million 

medically treated injuries and more than 30,000 deaths every 

year. With an emphasis on safety during Older Americans 

Month, we encourage older adults to learn about the variety 

of ways they can avoid the leading causes of injury.

By conducting activities and providing safety information on a 

variety of topics to older adults in your community, you can help 

them take control of their safety and live longer, healthier lives. 
About This Guide

Some of the leading causes of injuries to older adults are falls, fires, motor vehicle 

incidents, consumer product-related incidents, improper use of medicines, elder abuse, 

and suffocations. This guide provides suggested activities and resources for avoiding 

these risks. The information should be presented in a way that helps seniors feel 

empowered, not threatened. 

To make Older Americans Month a truly national event, the Administration for 

Community Living (ACL) and the Administration on Aging (AoA), an agency of ACL, 

are encouraging organizations around the country to host a Safety Day. This event 

will feature activities designed to bring older adults together with others in your 

neighborhood to socialize, engage, and learn how to stay safe. This guide includes 

suggestions; feel free to tailor these suggestions or come up with your own ideas to 

better suit your community! Whether you choose to host one activity or several, this 

toolkit can help you coordinate your Safety Day.

The following information on the different types of risks underscores the importance of 

helping older adults take control of their safety.
Falls

Falls are the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries among adults 65 and older. 

(Tromp 2001) Annually, older adult falls are responsible for more than 21,700 deaths, 

2.4 million emergency department visits, and more than $30 billion in direct medical 

costs. (CDC 2014 WISQARS, Stevens 2006) This is an increasingly important public 

health issue as the rates for both fall deaths and emergency visits for falls are rising. 

(WISQARS 2014) Because the U.S. population is aging, falls will continue to increase 

unless preventive action is taken. Below is a list of key risk factors and what can be 

done about them.

Fallen in the past year. Older 

adults who have fallen once are more 

likely to fall again. Screening older 

adults by using the Stay Independent 

brochure can identify a person’s 

risk level of falling and whether 

further assessment is needed by a 

health care professional. Community 

programs such as A Matter of Balance 

or Stepping On can empower older 

adults to assess their risks and to take 

appropriate actions.

Lack of exercise. Lack of exercise 

can lead to weak legs and this 

increases the chances of falling. 

Exercise programs such as Tai Chi 

can increase strength and improve 

balance, making falls much less 

likely. Other programs found in the 

community including EnhanceFitness, 

Fit and Strong!, and others such as 

yoga, water aerobics, and dancing 

can be promoted to increase physical 

activity among older adults.

Combination of medications. 

Some medicines—or combinations of 

medicines—can have side effects such 

as dizziness or drowsiness. This can 

make falling more likely. Having a doctor 

or pharmacist review all medications 

can help reduce the chance of risky side 

effects and drug interactions. 

Poor vision. Poor vision can make 

it harder to get around safely. Older 

adults should have their eyes checked 

every year and wear glasses or contact 

lenses with the right prescription 

strength to ensure they are seeing 

clearly. Learn more about protecting 

your vision.

Hazards at home. About half of all 

falls happen at home. A home safety 

check can help identify potential fall 

hazards that need to be removed or 

changed, such as tripping hazards, 

clutter, and poor lighting. Adding grab 

bars in the bathroom is important at 

any age to reduce tub and toilet falls. 

View a sample home safety checklist.
Fire Safety

U.S. Fire Administration data state that Americans over age 

65 are one of the groups at greatest risk of dying in a fire. 

On average, more than 1,000 Americans age 65 and over 

die in fires each year. People over the age of 85 die in fires 

at a rate five times higher than the rest of the population. 

Take steps to educate your community members about fire 

safety. You could save a life.

Motor Vehicle Safety

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 

reported in 2011 that 17 percent of all traffic fatalities in the 

United States were among people age 65 and older. Loss of 

muscle tone and flexibility, changes in vision or hearing, and 

slowed reaction time may put some older drivers at greater 

risk. Elders can protect themselves by taking refresher 

driving courses, remaining as fit and flexible as possible, 

and taking care of their vision and hearing. 

Consumer Product Safety

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, 

adults 65 and older have higher rates of medically treated 

consumer product-related injuries and consumer productrelated deaths than other adults. Products that may be 

involved in an injury scenario are numerous. Examples 

include yard and garden equipment, ladders or step stools, 

and personal use items like clothing. Many accidents and 

injuries can be prevented by taking precautions around the 

home. Tips and checklists can provide simple steps that 

older adults can take to make their homes safer.

People over 

the age of 85 

die in fires 

at a rate five 

times higher 

than the 

rest of the 

population. 
Bed Rail Safety

Products of special concern are adult bed rails which 

are thought of as a safety device. However, when used 

improperly, they can cause a person to become entangled or 

strangled. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) 

and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have received 

many death and injury reports related to both adult portable 

bed rail products and hospital bed rails. It is important for 

individuals to follow the recommendations from FDA and 

CPSC on how to effectively use these devices. 

Improper Use of Medicines

From 2004 to 2008, the Center for Behavioral Health 

Statistics and Quality reports there was a 121 percent 

increase in emergency visits involving prescription 

medication misuse by older Americans. The combination of 

increased medication use paired with normal body changes 

caused by aging can increase the chance of unwanted, and 

even harmful, drug effects or interactions. It is important for 

older adults and their caregivers to be aware of the dangers 

of using medications improperly. 

Suffocation/Choking

According to the National Safety Council, choking is the 

third leading cause of home injury death for adults over 

the age of 76. Choking deaths peak at age 85 and are the 

second leading cause of unintentional injury death in adults 

89 and older. Learning about the causes of choking and how 

improper use of consumer products can lead to suffocation 

are important safety steps. 

Elder Abuse/

Mistreatment

Elder abuse is 

recognized by experts 

as a public health 

crisis for which 

there are no socioeconomic borders. 

Every year an 

estimated 2.1 million 

older Americans 

are victims of elder 

abuse, neglect, or 

exploitation. Elder 

abuse comes in many 

forms; it can be 

physical, emotional 

or financial. Help 

seniors in your 

community learn 

how they can protect 

themselves. 
Activities

Host a Safety Day! Invite local 

health and safety professionals to 

participate, and have a half-day or 

day-long fair with experts on a variety 

of topics. Provide lunch or snacks 

and make it a festive occasion. If 

coordinating a fair is too demanding, 

select one or more of the activities 

below and focus on one at a time.

Consider partnering with other 

organizations to enhance your 

effectiveness:

Local public health office to learn 

about injury prevention activities 

State coalition on fall prevention 

(http://www.ncoa.org/FPAD)

Local hospital or medical center 

Local emergency medical response 

teams and fire departments 

Entry level health care programs: 

students to provide fall risk 

screenings. Physical therapy, 

occupational therapy, pharmacy, 

nursing, and physician assistant 

students make great partners.

Host a home and/or fire safety 

workshop and provide information on 

how seniors can take steps to protect 

themselves at home. Share safety tips 

like the ones in this checklist from the 

CDC to frame the presentation. 

http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/pub-res/

toolkit/checklistforsafety.htm

Contact your local fire department 

to ask them to do a fire safety 

presentation or conduct your own 

fire safety workshop and distribute a 

home safety checklist so that seniors, 

families, or caregivers can evaluate 

their home’s safety. 

Contact your local auto club (e.g., 

AAA) or Department of Motor Vehicles 

(DMV) to schedule a workshop or 

demonstration on safe driving for 

older adults. Provide information on 

available transportation alternatives, 

such as public transit or local shuttles, 

for those who are no longer driving.

Hold a workshop that discusses 

the various types of elder abuse. 

Provide statistics to demonstrate how 

widespread the problem is. Distribute 

local contact information that people 

can use if they or a loved one should 

need help.

Talk to the older adults you work 

with and find out what safety topics 

interest them. A speaker series might 

include local professors, authors, or 

other experts giving presentations on 

the topics of greatest interest.
Planning Your Event

Select a site that is easy for participants to get to and is 

large enough to accommodate everyone. Talk to the venue 

administrator about any equipment you may need, such as 

chairs, tables, projectors, and audiovisual equipment.

Here are a 

few things 

to keep 

in mind:

Are the venues you 

prefer available, 

and do you need to 

reserve them for 

your use?

If it is an outdoor 

event, can you rely 

on good weather?

Does your date 

conflict with a 

holiday or other 

major events? If so, 

you might consider 

rescheduling.

Make a Checklist

Think carefully about the goods, people, and materials you 

might need, and allow time to order supplies. Here is a 

checklist you may want to use:

Refreshments (consider asking a local business to 

donate snacks)

Digital projector

Public address (PA) system

Equipment (for example, fire extinguishers for 

demonstrations)

Adequate seating

Pens and notepads

Featured presenters and speakers

Handouts and other materials

Decorations

Transportation for event participants

A rain plan (if you intend to hold your event outdoors)

Event insurance in case of an injury at the event
Promote Your Safety Day

Once you’ve scheduled your event, it is time to start 

promoting it. Use the logos, posters, and other promotional 

items in the theme section of the ACL website to start raising 

awareness of your Safety Day and recruiting participants. 

Send a media advisory or news release to community papers, 

blogs, and radio stations. Place posters in local businesses 

and distribute information to senior centers and other 

partner organizations. Focus your publicity efforts where 

your audience spends a lot of time and on the publications, 

websites, etc., where they get their information.

Tell Us About It!

Older Americans Month is all about promoting health and 

safety and building community. We encourage you to share 

information about your event with other communities that 

are celebrating Older Americans Month. Post your events 

on the AoA Facebook and Twitter pages. Use the hashtag 

#OAM2014 so all Older Americans Month followers can see 

your tweets. 

Post your events on the AoA 

Facebook and Twitter pages. 

Use the hashtag #OAM2014 so all Older Americans Month 

followers can see your tweets. 

www.acl.gov/olderamericansmonth/

Older Americans 

Month is all 

about promoting 

health and safety 

and building 

community. 
Fall Prevention

•	http://www.ncoa.org/improve-health/fallsprevention/

•	http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/pub-res/toolkit/

checklistforsafety.htm

•	http://www.cdc.gov/

homeandrecreationalsafety/pdf/steadi/stay_

independent.pdf

•	http://www.cdc.gov/

homeandrecreationalsafety/falls/

WhatYouCanDoToPreventFalls.html

•	http://nihseniorhealth.gov/falls/

aboutfalls/01.html

•	http://longtermcare.gov/the-basics/

protecting-your-older-loved-one-from-a-fall/

•	http://www.phconnect.org/group/falls 

Fire Safety

•	http://www.usfa.fema.gov/citizens/older/

•	http://www.cpsc.gov//PageFiles/122044/702.

pdf

Motor Vehicle Safety

•	http://www.nhtsa.gov/Driving+Safety/

Older+Drivers 

•	http://www.seniortransportation.net/

Portals/0/Cache/Pages/Resources/Aging_

Network_Panels.pdf 

•	http://www.seniortransportation.net/

Portals/0/Cache/Pages/Resources/Mature_

Panels.pdf 

•	http://www.nia.nih.gov/health/publication/

older-drivers

Consumer Product Safety

•	http://www.cpsc.gov//PageFiles/122038/701.

pdf

•	http://www.cpsc.gov//PageFiles/122032/705.

pdf

•	http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/

ProductsandMedicalProcedures/

HomeHealthandConsumer/

ConsumerProducts/BedRailSafety/default.htm

•	http://www.cpsc.gov/en/Safety-Education/

Neighborhood-Safety-Network/Posters/

Adult-Bed-Rails/ 

Medication Use

•	http://nihseniorhealth.gov/drugabuse/

improperuse/01.html

•	http://www.fda.gov/drugs/resourcesforyou/

consumers/tipsforseniors/default.htm

•	http://www.aoa.gov/AoARoot/AoA_

Programs/HPW/Behavioral/docs2/Issue%20

Brief%205%20Prescription%20Med%20

Misuse%20Abuse.pdf

Elder Abuse/Mistreatment

•	http://ncea.aoa.gov/

•	http://www.consumerfinance.gov/olderamericans/

Suffocation/Choking

•	http://www.nsc.org/safety_home/

HomeandRecreationalSafety/Pages/Choking.

aspx#older

•	http://aging.ohio.gov/resources/publications/

HWtoolkit_choking.pdf

Resources

The following resources provide additional information, training materials, tips, 

checklists, and general information to help you inform your community about how 

to stay safe.