Sunshine Coast partnership nets an enhanced approach to fall- and fire-prevention for older adults

Sunshine Coast Home Health Manager Karen Inkpen (left) celebrates the scholarship received by Home & Community Care Nurse Tracy Parsons (right) and Gibsons Fire Department’s Greig Soohen.

Sunshine Coast Home & Community Care’s Tracy Parsons is on her way back from Boston after attending a National Fire Prevention Association conference on an NFPA scholarship. Tracy was given this great opportunity to take part in the Fire and Fall Prevention Program for Older Adults conference after submitting a joint application for the award along with Greig Soohen of the Gibsons Fire Department.

The pair provided such a compelling case for the need for them to attend the conference that they were awarded the conference experience where they received intensive instruction on how to help older adults prevent fires and falls in their home. With almost 10% of the Gibsons population being older than 65 years of age (compared to about 6% in the rest of BC), the NFPA officials realized the benefit the scholarship could have for Sunshine Coast residents.

With a good working relationship already in place between VCH-Coastal staff and Gibsons Fire Department staff, the dynamic duo of Tracy and Greig will bring their learnings back to their organizations and spread that information out to a broader group.