Today Is Falls Prevention Awareness Day

One in three Americans aged 65+ falls each year.

Every 15 seconds, an older adult is treated in the emergency room for a fall.

Every 29 minutes, an older adult dies following a fall.

Together, we can help prevent older adults from falling in their homes.  Through our Safe at Home program, volunteers make accessibility modifications, such as installing grab bars and handrails, which the Centers for Disease Control recommends in order to reduce the risk of falls.  Last year, our incredible volunteers provided these modifications for 74 low-income homeowners.

We would like to recognize the core of our Safe at Home volunteer team: Wesley Anderson, Mariette Cole, Steve Ivancic, and Colin Levine-Horrigan.  Without the hard work of these dedicated volunteers, we would not be able to provide homeowners in need who are older adults or are living with a disability with the modifications they need to live independently and safely in their homes.

If you or someone you know might benefit from our Safe at Home program or if you would like to volunteer for this program, please contact us at SafeAtHome@RebuildingTogether-TwinCities.org or 651-776-4273.

UnitedHealthcare Military & Veterans Make a Difference for Minnesota’s Veterans

On Wednesday, July 30th, we partnered with volunteers from UnitedHealthcare Military & Veterans to make improvements to the Minnesota Veterans Home in Minneapolis.  The Minnesota Veterans Home is dedicated to providing Minnesota’s veterans and their families with high-quality and dignified health care in a nurturing and engaging environment.

Volunteers spent the day building a weather-protected bus shelter, installing pavers in the picnic area, creating wheelchair-accessible areas on the grounds, doing general landscaping and installing a new flagpole. When the work was complete, a group of local veterans performed a flag-raising ceremony and enjoyed an ice cream social with the UnitedHealthcare volunteers, Minnesota Veterans Home residents and local public officials, including Minnesota Veterans Home Minneapolis Administrator, Cory Glad; Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs Commissioner, Larry Shellito; Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs Legislative Director Mike McElhiney, and First Lieutenant Andrea Kostiuk, a representative of the Minnesota Army National Guard, and other members of the National Guard,  Nichole Ly from Senator Al Franken’s office and Tim Cossalter from Senator Amy Klobuchar’s office.

Thank you to UnitedHealthcare Military & Veterans for your continued partnership and support of our efforts to help veterans in need in our community!

Betty Says Thanks

Our Safe at Home volunteers recently made safety and accessibility modifications for Betty, who lives in Mendota Heights and has some trouble navigating her home safely.  Wes and Steve installed grab bars, a shower seat, a handheld shower unit, no-slip bath treads, exterior railings, an outdoor motion light, smoke detectors, a fire extinguisher and a carbon monoxide detector.

Betty wrote us a very kind thank you note that we wanted to share.  She said, “I want to thank you for all you’ve done for me. You were all so easy to talk to and so helpful…Wes and Steve did a great job and were very personable. Words just can’t tell you how much you have made my everyday life so much easier for me.  I never thought I’d get the help I got.  I feel so much safer now. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.”

Thank you to our Safe at Home volunteers and our partners who support this important program!