Senator Kevin Parker and Vnsny Celebrate National Nurses Week and Provide Seniors WITH Important Tips and Techniques for Preventing Falls

Brooklyn, N.Y. – May 10, 2013 – Yesterday, in celebration of National Nurses Week, Senator Kevin Parker (D-21) and the Visiting Nurse Service of New York (VNSNY) co-hosted an event at Glenwood Senior Center aimed at preventing falls among seniors.

“I was pleased to partner with the Visiting Nurse Service of New York to host this important seminar for our community’s seniors,” said Senator Parker. “Our elders are a precious resource for our families and our neighborhoods, and we must work together to find ways to best protect their health, safety and quality of life.”

In excess of 160 Brooklyn seniors and their family caregivers attended the workshop to hear Senator Kevin Parker, and VNSNY Registered Nurse Sonora Reynolds, speak about how to stay safe and confident in their home and community environments.

The seminar began with VNSNY Registered Nurse, Sonora Reynolds, leading and performing stretching exercises with the seniors in attendance. Seniors were also provided tips and techniques for avoiding falls like how to assess a home environment for potential fall hazards, how to choose footwear and walking aids that offer increased stability, and how to find local resources that can help seniors build strength and increase stamina.

“Falls are the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injury in older adults,” said Sonora Reynolds, VNSNY Registered Nurse. “Every 17 seconds a senior is taken to the emergency room because of a fall, 70% of which occur in the home.” Ms. Reynolds continued. “Senator Parker has a strong connection with the elderly population of this community and we truly enjoyed teaming up with him to share tips and techniques for Brooklyn seniors and their loved ones.”

“The workshop we did today offered seniors valuable information to prevent serious injuries that are too often the result of a fall,” continued Senator Parker. “I am glad VNSNY helped make this event a success, and I look forward to holding it in more places in our community so more seniors can benefit from this great resource for residents of Central Brooklyn.”

About Senator Kevin Parker

Senator Kevin S. Parker is intimately familiar with the needs of his ethnically diverse Brooklyn community that consists of 318,000 constituents in Flatbush, East Flatbush, Midwood, Ditmas Park, Kensington, Windsor Terrace, and Park Slope. He is the Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committee, Assistant Democratic Leader for Intergovernmental Affairs, and Chair of the Democratic Task Force on New Americans.