Amy Istrin's Reflections on Fall Prevention Day

I am in a season of self-reflection and growth. I find reflection to be incredibly beneficial, creating opportunities for skill development, learning, and motivation to move forward.  This skill development and learning has been fostered by opportunities at Rosarium Health, where I work in market development as part of the growth team. Before starting this position, imposter syndrome and fear largely took over my thoughts. As someone coming from a clinical background in a hospital setting, I feared stepping out of my comfort zone and into a world where clinical and non-clinical merge. I am happy to say that although the imposter syndrome still comes up from time to time, I have grown to lean on my strengths and embrace the challenges as opportunities. I am relieved to be part of a team that embraces a clear and shared purpose, cultivating trust and acknowledging diverse backgrounds such as my own as an asset. As part of my self-reflection journey, I would like to reflect on a significant event that I recently attended in Houston. 

 On September 21st, I along with a few of my Rosarium Health colleagues had the privilege of attending Falls Prevention Awareness Day at Kashmere Multi-Service Center in Houston. This event was part of fall prevention week, aimed at raising awareness about how to prevent falls among older adults. Instead of providing a full description of the event, I figured I would take the time to reflect on my 3 key takeaways:

1. Opportunities for Education: I thoroughly enjoyed educating the attendees of this event. The education not only included information about our company, but also a wealth of valuable insights and statistics about falls, fall risks, and the importance of taking a proactive approach versus a reactive approach when it comes to fall prevention. Many of the attendees were renters and were unaware that they had renter’s rights when it came to home modifications. Many were so fearful of falling that they did not explore certain parts of their homes anymore. Many of the personal stories felt very relatable, having recently assisted a home modification and renovation for my grandma. I felt honored to share my knowledge with them, and I am hopeful that they left the conference with increased confidence and a greater awareness of fall prevention strategies.  
2. Deep Sense of Community: I was blown away by the strong sense of community at the event. The room was filled with respect and genuine love for one another, exemplified through courteous conversations and thoughtful reflections on recent experiences. At Rosarium Health’s booth, neighbors, relatives, and friends of friends brought one another up to have a thoughtful discussion. Many of them went like this: I finally feel safe in my home, but here is my cousin’s daughter's friend who does not feel safe and would like to discuss home modification. 
3. Embracing vulnerability for connection: My biggest takeaway of all was feeling incredibly grateful to be on the other side of those being vulnerable, and being trusted with that vulnerability. It is not an easy task to recognize one's own fall risk or to acknowledge one's own fear of falling, but so many of the attendees were open to discussing their fears, discomforts, and motivation to find a solution. 

  Fall Prevention Day was an engaging event that allowed me to utilize my skill set, both from a clinical and non-clinical perspective. As my self-reflection journey continues, I hope to attend more events that shine light on the importance of human connection and contribution. This role has already taught me so much about myself, and I look forward to all that is to come.