OSHKOSH, Wis. — The Oshkosh Fire Department is the first in the state to partner with the Nymbl app for fall prevention.
The state of Wisconsin has the highest rate in the nation of fatal falls among older adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Most of those falls happen in homes and first responders are seeing increases in calls for communities across the state.
The Oshkosh Fire Department said falls are the number one call the department responds to. Firefighter Jamie Campbell said it is a growing trend.
“Most of our calls on the EMS side are for falls,” Campbell said. “That’s a growing problem. It’s something we address every day, multiple times a day.”
According to data from the department, nearly 15% of the City of Oshkosh is over the age of 65.
Last year, Winnebago County, where the department is located, had 44 deaths related to falls.
These stats are one of the main reasons why Oshkosh Fire Chief Mike Stanley decided it was time to step in and help with prevention.
“It’s very important to us that we find different ways to address this problem,” Stanley said. “Society is going to continue to age, continue to grow. This problem isn’t going to get better on its own.”
The Nymbl app can be accessed nationwide. However, the Oshkosh Fire Department is the only department in the state who has partnered with the app for more accessible fall prevention.
The app is designed to help improve balance and strength from the comfort of your own home. Anyone 60 years old or older can qualify to access the app and it’s free programming.
Nymbl uses games and exercises together that take just about 10 minutes a day to do. Stanley said having something like this accessible at home is big for the aging population within the community.
“We wanted to find a mechanism where they could work on fall prevention, balance, core strength from the comfort of their own home,” said Stanley. “It’s a way to remove those obstacles, remove those barriers so they could participate in some healthy behaviors.”
Currently, 20% of the department’s calls are for falls. Stanley said the hope is to decrease that number, create a healthier community and free up first responders for other emergencies.
It’s something the first responders on his team agree with.
“This app will be crucial to the aging population,” Campbell said. “To keep them in a lifestyle they are used to. They are not forced into homes. It makes their lives more productive, builds their confidence, their self-worth. It makes just a better life for them.”
The department said it plans to hold informational and instructional sessions for people 60 and older in the city on how to use the app at home.