KFL&A Falls Prevention, Kingston, Ontario

Our History

Stay on Your Feet was first piloted in Australia with successful outcomes. Kingston was one of three communities selected by the Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation to receive $100,000 to carry out the two-year project. The Grey-Bruce and Elliot Lake regions were the other two selected communities.

2006-2007
  • 2006 has been a year of sustaining many of the Stay on Your Feet initiatives and advocating for this project province-wide.
  • December 2006, the Ontario Seniors Secretariat under the McGuinty Government launched a provincial Falls Prevention Tool Kit developed from the work of the communities, including KFL&A, who received funding from Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation.
  • New goals and objectives are established to direct and guide the coalition and its work over the next 2 years: Awareness, Education/Skill building, Policy Development, Partnerships with Health Care Providers and Community Agencies, and Funding sources.
2005-2006
  • The Falls Prevention Ambassador Program has been adopted as an official Public Health Volunteer Program and will continue its work with the 11 trained volunteers as peer leaders/educators in our community. Promotion of the program started in March 2006.
  • Fitness classes established in the community will continue and expand under the new VON SMART program. Two local train-the-trainers were trained to limit training costs in the future.
  • Long term care and retirement home networking provided opportunity for continued support and sharing/brainstorming around identifying and resolving barriers.
  • Link and partnership with the City of Kingston StepSafe program continues.
  • Acute Care institutions continue to provide falls prevention resources to ER and in-patients.
  • Health care professionals continue to work together to provide 'best practice' education and resources to professionals.
  • Three Stay on Your Feet 10-week falls prevention programs were held in Kingston and Napanee. Education was provided by community partners and Tai Chi exercise via a new partnership with the Taoist Tai Chi Association. The program was evaluated by a Queen's Nursing Graduate student.
2004-2005
  • In January 2004, a project coordinator was hired and working groups formed to carry out the project's initiatives.
  • The initiatives followed these five strategy lines defined by the Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation: awareness raising, community education, policy development, home hazard reduction, and partnerships with health care professionals.
  • Over 60 different community members and partners have participated in the development of each initiative.
2002-2003
  • The year 2002 was a year of determining new goals and objectives and changing the group's identity.
  • The membership grew to total twelve active members with the addition of members from Kingston General Hospital Discharge Planning, PCCC Outpatient Therapy Department and PCCC Geriatric Mental Health.
  • The coalition adopted a new logo and mission statement, developed a terms of reference and established a multi-year plan to lead the group into the year 2005.
  • The group continued to use every opportunity to educate the public and raise awareness about the risk factors, causes and prevention of falls; provide ongoing promotion of the Step Safe Program now administered through the City of Kingston and the Town of Greater Napanee; and identify patterns of falls and fall-related injuries in the KFL&A area in order to develop appropriate initiatives.
  • In May 2003 a project team developed a proposal to the Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation for funding to deliver the Stay on your Feet Program in KFL&A.
  • In September 2003, KFL&A along with Elliott Lake and Grey-Bruce regions, was awarded $100.000 by the Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation to carry out the 2 year project.
2000-2002
  • The coalition ensured the transfer of the Step Safe project to the City of Kingston was completed successfully.
  • The coalition continued to raise awareness about the causes of falls by participating in community displays.
  • The development of the Website was completed.
  • The coalition held sessions to determine what the future direction of the coalition would be.
1999-2000
  • The Step Safe project was a successfully turned over to the Public Works department in Napanee (February 1999) and the City of Kingston (March 2000).
  • The coalition produced four fall prevention commercials. The Road Safety Value Partnership Community Projects Fund and the Safe and Sober Community Alliance provided funding. The commercials were aired on CKWS in April 2000.
1998-1999
  • Kingston General Hospital provided another year of funding to the Step Safe project.
  • The coalition worked towards a long-term plan to sustain the Step Safe project.
  • Collaboration with Public Works in Kingston and Napanee took place to facilitate the take over and operation of the Step Safe project by both municipalities.
1997-1998
  • Kingston General Hospital funded a new coalition project called Step Safe; this project focused on promotion of year-round public sidewalk safety in the communities of Kingston and Napanee.
  • Hotlines were established with seniors' associations in both communities and were operated by volunteers
  • The hotlines provided an opportunity for seniors and other members of the public to report hazards related to sidewalks such as cracks, holes, uneven slabs, snow and ice
  • A working relationship was developed between the coalition and the two public works departments in Kingston and Napanee.
  • The public works department agreed to check, repair or prioritize hazardous locations reported through the hotlines
1995-1996
  • A one-year project focused on improving snow and ice removal in five local communities and particularly on improving seniors' access to public walkways, bus stops, public building and local businesses.
1994
  • The KFL&A Falls Prevention Coalition was formed in response to the District Health Council's concern about the number of falls by seniors in the Kingston region. The coalition was composed of representatives from a number of community agencies.
1993
  • The Emergency Health Services Branch of the Ontario Ministry of Health established an initiative aimed at expanding local citizens' involvement in injury prevention
  • Initial funding in small amounts was provided to develop local committees to take action on prevention of falls in seniors, as well as other major causes of injury.