NFPA and ICAA Cite Benefits of Physical Activity, Fire and Fall Safety in Kickoff of Active Aging Week

The aging of the workforce in the U.S. should be a major concern. My father once told we that he had the mind of a 26 year old in the body of a 70 year old. While our bodies age and become more susceptable to inhury, or minds remain young--leading us to believe we can still physically do the things we used to do.

A press release from the NFPA states:

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has joined forces with the International Council on Active Aging (ICAA) to launch this year's Active Aging Week, September 25 to October 1.

NFPA's Public Education Project Manager Lisa Braxton talks about Active Aging Week:

[The following arew links to available audio clips.]
Who forged the alliance between the ICAA and NFPA?

The NFPA's role in this year's Active Aging Week

What are some examples of the "Remembering When" program?

Why are seniors considered so susceptible?

In celebration of this national health observance, NFPA and ICAA will work with older adults at venues across the U.S. to raise awareness of the benefits of physical activity, fire and fall safety, and proper nutrition.

NFPA will be distributing safety tips from its older adult program, Remembering When™: A Fire and Fall Prevention Program for Older Adults . Remembering When centers on 16 key safety messages - eight fire prevention and eight fall prevention. It is a step-by-step interactive program that includes reproducible handouts, lesson plans, checklists, fact sheets, resource lists, trivia games and brochures.

"Teaming up with ICAA for Active Aging Week gives us another opportunity to make significant improvements in the health and safety of older adults," said Sharon Gamache, executive director of the NFPA Center for High-Risk Outreach, which developed Remembering When. "ICAA launched Active Aging Week to demonstrate that older adults can live life as fully as possible within the six dimensions of wellness (emotional, vocational, physical, spiritual, intellectual, social)," says Colin Milner, CEO, International Council on Active Aging. "We are thrilled to have the NFPA involved in Active Aging Week, as change only occurs when the message gets out there."

Free Active Aging Week events are scheduled throughout the last week of September by seniors organizations, retirement communities, senior centers, health clubs, parks, recreation centers and apartment/condominium complexes that are age-restricted.

The ICAA is the world's largest membership association dedicated to changing the way we age by uniting and working with professionals in the retirement, assisted living, recreation, fitness, rehabilitation and wellness fields. We connect a community of like-minded professionals who share the goals of changing society's perceptions of aging and improving the quality of life for Baby Boomers and older adults within the six dimensions of wellness (emotional, vocational, physical, spiritual, intellectual, social).

NFPA has been a worldwide leader in providing fire, electrical, building, and life safety to the public since 1896. The mission of the international nonprofit organization is to reduce the worldwide burden of fire and other hazards on the quality of life by providing and advocating consensus codes and standards, research, training, and education.

NFPA Contact: Lorraine Carli, Public Affairs Office: +1-617-984-7275