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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 29, 2019)
REGION Friday, November 29, 2019 East Oregonian A3 Local resources work to reduce falling risks among older population By ALEX CASTLE For the East Oregonian Staff photo by Kathy Aney A runner dressed as a turkey participates in Thursday’s Turkey Trot 5K run in Echo. Running for more than fun By JESSICA POLLARD East Oregonian ECHO— Jamie Nasario, who manages the Club 24 gym in Pendleton, had a mes- sage for people on Thursday: “Just because it’s Thanksgiv- ing, doesn’t mean you need to sit and eat and stare at each other,” she said. She thinks people should get out and give the Tur- key Trot, a fun run fund- raiser hosted by Club 24, a go instead. When Nasario sold her Hermiston-based business and went to work for the fi t- ness company, she said she wanted to know what her new employers could do to give back to the community. “We decided to do a fun run,” she said. “This event is my baby.” The Turkey Trot, which raises funds for the Herm- iston and Pendleton warm- ing stations, premiered eight years ago on Thanksgiving morning. Thirty fi ve people showed up. “Now, we usually expect up to 200,” she said. The 1 mile or 5 kilome- ter running event begins in the heart of downtown Echo, and now, for the second year in a row, ends with a traipse through the Echo Corn Maze. Registration is $15 a per- son, and all proceeds are split evenly between the two warming stations. The day before this year’s Turkey Trot, Nosario said the event had already raised $1,500 in registration fees. A fi nal tally of funds raised had yet to be released before East Oregonian press time. Nasario grew up in Echo, and said that’s part of the rea- son she wanted to host the event in the town. “This is a real home- Staff photo by Kathy Aney A tutu-clad runner and her dog participate in Thursday’s Tur- key Trot in Echo. grown love project,” she said. “There are so many people who might live in Hermiston, but don’t often drive in the direction of Echo. We have a charming little town.” Teri Preston came up from Corvallis with her dog Eclipse to participate in the Turkey Trot, which she tries to attend each year. “I’m going to burn off the Thanksgiving calories before eating,” she said. “Then I’ll spend some time with family.” Preston lives in Corvallis, but grew up in Umatilla and visits each holiday. She said she’s training for a marathon, and Thursday’s event dou- bled as a good opportunity to prepare. Lee Watson, who lives in Hermiston, was gearing up to run his fourth Turkey Trot on Thursday morning. “After this, I’ll shower and nap. Family stuff comes later,” he said. “The free donuts are nice, and it’s a good cause.” Nasario said it’s always important to give back to the community. “It is so cute to see grand- parents from all over ready to run with their grandkids,” she added. “The Turkey Trot brings people together.” UMATILLA COUNTY — More than 15% of Uma- tilla County’s population is 65 or older, 2018 U.S. Cen- sus data showed, and accord- ing to a preliminary popu- lation report from Portland State University released last week, all of Oregon’s popula- tion is growing older. For those 65 and older, specifi cally, this comes with an increased risk of serious injury from falling. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Pre- vention, 3 million older peo- ple are treated for fall injuries in emergency departments every year. Injuries range from broken bones — 300,000 older people are hospitalized for hip fractures every year — to concussions and other traumatic brain injuries. Once somebody falls, the CDC says, their chances of falling again double. The result, regardless of injury, is also a heightened fear of falling, which can lead to lower activity levels and an enhanced risk of falling due to a weaker body. To help combat the prob- lem, Hermiston’s Good Shepherd Health Care Sys- tem provides interactive classes and other resources on fall prevention geared toward senior citizens. Earlier this month, they held a two-hour fall preven- tion seminar that promoted healthy exercises to build strength and balance, along with education on recogniz- ing the signs of a potential brain injury. “A person may fall and hit their head but show no noticeable signs of a concus- sion,” Good Shepherd com- munity health educator Jes- sica Reker said. Good Shepherd will be hosting another fall preven- tion seminar on Dec. 7, Reker said, with more planned throughout 2020. For a longer, more there comes a time when in-depth class on fall preven- more help is needed. Alanna Thompson-Poore, tion, Good Shepherd is also teaching a six-week course a nurse at Juniper House, an called Matter of Balance that assisted living and memory begins in January. The class care community in Pendle- will be held at the Cotton- ton, said many of their resi- wood Apartments in Herm- dents have moved in because iston, with another session of previous falls or the fear of planned at the senior center one in the future. Along with providing liv- in the spring. All of Good Shepherd’s ing areas with falling preven- classes are free of charge tion in mind, Juniper House and open to the public. Reker also has an activities coordi- said they’ve had caregivers nator that runs exercises and in class who have used what programs Monday through they learn to help their own Friday. Many activities either are explicitly designed, or clients. In addition to its interac- can be modifi ed, to be done tive classes, Good Shepherd sitting down, while still pro- also works directly with con- moting healthy activity to nection teams, Reker said, build strength, reduce risks which are made up of com- of falling and overcome the munity paramedics that go fear of it. From 2007-16, falling out to clients’ homes and pro- deaths in the U.S. rose more vide fall risk assessments. “They’ll look to see if than 30% for older adults, there are rugs, what’s the according to the CDC. At lighting like, are there stairs, that rate, there would be what’s the path to the bed- seven deaths from falls every hour by 2030. room like,” she said. But as Umatilla County’s The risk assessments are similar to those performed population becomes older in the region by the Com- and more vulnerable to falls, munity Action Program of resources throughout the East Central Oregon’s, or region are here trying to pre- CAPECO’s, Area Agency on vent it. Aging Department. “Our goal is to support people in being successful in living how they want to live,” said Annie Kimbrel, a case 11/28 manager with CAPECO. Cineplex Show Times Often, she said, senior $5 Classic Movie citizens have the goal of Showing Wednesday @ 12p remaining independent and My Little Chickadee living at home. Kimbrel conducts the Frozen 2 (PG) risk assessments, and while 2D 12:00* 1:30* 2:20* 4:40 6:30 7:10 9:40 they aren’t specifi cally just 4:00p for fall prevention, she said they include identifying Knives Out (PG13) whether pathways through- 12:40* 4:10 7:00 9:50 out the home are clear, whether there’s a pet that Ford V Ferrari (PG13) could become a tripping haz- 12:20* 3:30* 6:40 9:50 ard, whether or not the per- Midway (PG13) son uses a walker or cane, 3:20* 6:20 9:20 12:10 and more. Kimbrel said she’ll also Charlie’s Angels (PG13) discuss whether emergency 9:00 alert services would benefi t * Matinee Pricing wildhorseresort.com • 541-966-1850 them. 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