The National Council on Aging and FYZICAL® Fight the Fall FREE Fall Risk Assessments for the entire month of September help Americans reduce their risk of falling down National Falls Prevention Awareness Day is Sept. 23, 2019 and Fyzical therapy and balance center at the YMCA is offering free Fall Risk Assessments to identify Americans who have problems with their balance. Poor balance could make people susceptible to a fall with subsequent injury. In addition, FYZICAL® therapists will identify solutions that improve balance, flexibility and strength in order to help older people prevent falls. A recent study from the journal Current Gerontology and Geriatrics Research1 reported many older adults are not aware they are at risk for falling; due to preventable deficits in strength, balance and range-of-motion. It is crucial to understand these risks, because falls are increasingly common with age. They can have serious consequences ranging from fractures, broken hips, loss of independence, or worse. “According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, every 11 seconds an older adult is treated in an emergency room for a fall; and every 19 minutes an older adult dies from a fall.” 2 It doesn’t have to be that way. FYZICAL centers nationwide have joined forces with the National Council on Aging (NCOA) to help Fight the Fall. September 23, 2019 is the first day of fall and the day designated by the NCOA to help raise Americans’ awareness of preventable falls and injuries.