Example “News Story” Send with new clinic/
program announcement to health editors, and
news directors at local newspapers, radio and
television stations. Put on your letterhead.
Contact:!
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Your Name
Your Facility/Department
Your Phone Number/email address
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For Immediate Release
IS FALLING A FACT OF LIFE FOR THE ELDERLY?
Have you or has someone you know ever experienced a fall or sudden loss of balance, or been
dizzy with no apparent cause? If you have, you are not alone. According to the American
Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, 33-50% of people over age 65 fall each year; many
repeatedly. Dizziness is also one of the leading complaints heard by physicians from their
elderly patients. Does that mean falling is a normal part of the aging process? No! In fact,
medical research has shown that falls are not a normal part of aging and can be prevented to a
significant degree.
The key to fall prevention is for you and your physician to understand how the body controls
balance and to know when and where to seek assistance for fall prevention and care.
Balance involves a complex interaction between the brain and sensory information from the
eyes, ears, ankles, feet and muscle systems of the body. When these systems work together
e"ectively, the brain can easily maintain the body in balance. However, as we age, changes
occur, such as loss of hearing and/or vision, less sensation in our feet and joints, and muscle
weakness. In short, we experience an overall weakening of our senses. Individually, none of
these factors may put a person at risk for falling, but in combination they can. For example,
someone with poor night vision may be able to walk through his or her home in the dark
without di#culty. But if that same person develops an ear or sinus infection, which can cause
dizziness, they are at risk for falling.
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more –
Falling, Page 2
Because balance problems limit safe mobility, they can severely limit independence and daily
life function as well as leisure pursuits. Di#culties with walking on uneven surfaces (carpeting,
lawns, etc.), in busy visual environments (i.e. shopping), or at night can cause a person to limit
their participation in activities to avoid embarrassment or risk of falling.
Whether the imbalance is mild or severe, there are now solutions to the problem. There are
healthcare providers who specialize in balance and dizziness problems to help address the
issue of why one person’s balance is di"erent than another’s – even when they have the same
or no medical problems.
How do you find the help you need? The first step is to ask your own physician for a referral to
a qualified clinician who is specialized in treating dizziness and/or balance disorders. In the
event that your physician is not aware of the latest advances in treatment, you may need to
explore the community on your own. There are resources available to help in this process,
including the Vestibular Disorder Association (VEDA), a national support group for people
su"ering from dizziness and imbalance. They can be reached at 1-800-837-8428 or on the
internet at www.vestibular.org. Another option is the Fall Prevention Program at (Your Facility
Name) which includes balance screening to determine a patient’s risk factors for falling as well
as a progressive rehabilitation program for those who have fallen.
Although balance and dizziness problems can be a factor of aging, they do not have to be a
“fact” of senior life. Ask your physician for information and seek out the solutions available to
you.
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Example Press Release to announce new
program. Send to health editors and news
directors at local newspapers, radio and
television stations. Put on your letterhead.
Contact:!
!
!
!
!
Your Name
Your Facility/Department
Your Phone Number/Email Address
!
!
!
!
!
!
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!
!
For Immediate Release
(INSERT YOUR FACILITY) OFFERS SENIORS NEW FALL RISK PROGRAM
A major health concern: Each year, one-third to one-half of the U.S. population age 65 and
older experience falls. Half of the elderly people who fall do so repeatedly. Falls are the leading
cause of injury in older adults. Many falls lead to fractures and account for more than 300,000
hip fractures annually. Approximately one-half of the older adults who are hospitalized for fallrelated injuries are discharged to nursing home.
As a leader in fall risk and balance assessment, (Your Facility’s Name)’s Balance Retraining
Program o"ers balance evaluation and training designed especially for older individuals with
balance and mobility problems.
In a safe, controlled setting, (Facility)’s sta" use the latest technology to assess balance and
mobility skills of seniors and other who are referred to the program. With this information, the
sta" is able to screen for fall risk and design a training program customized to meet each
individual’s needs and reduce their risk for falling.
(Include more specifics about your program as appropriate, including specialized/certified sta",
what patients can expect from the program, etc.)
Those wishing to participate in the program must have their physician’s approval. For more
information, please contact (Name), at (Facility), (Phone Number).
###
Example New Clinic/Practice Announcement.
Send to targeted referral sources. Put on your
letterhead.
Month Day, Year
Did you know?
√
Approximately 12.5 Million Americans over 65 have a dizziness or balance problem that
significantly interferes with their lives. That statistic projects over (insert statistic)
individuals with significant balance problems in the state of (your state) alone.
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At least 50% of the US population over 40 is a"ected by a balance or vestibular problem
sometime during their lives.
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30% of Americans over 65 will experience at least one fall, and 15% will experience
multiple falls. Of the reported falls, it is estimated that 50% are the result of vestibular
problems.
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It is estimated that complaints of dizziness result in up to 5 to 8 million physician
visits per year. That would project over (insert statistic) physician visits in the state of
(your state) each year.
√
Dizziness and balance problems are often multifactoral, and the most e"ective
treatment for many patients is a comprehensive, evidence-based approach.
√
Many patients with chronic imbalance or dizziness can get significant help once the
medical condition is understood, the impairments identified and measured, and
treatment decisions made based on objective data for both pathology and impairment.
We are pleased to announce the opening of a new specialized practice o!ering state-of-theart assessment for patients with dizziness and balance problems. We can perform a
comprehensive evaluation of patients with dizziness or balance complaints, including both
conventional diagnostic tests and quantitative assessment of balance impairment.
We can provide you with the information to manage your patient more e!ectively to reduce
impairment and increase functional performance. We can also perform periodic re-assessment
to evaluate and document treatment e#cacy. Knowing what to treat and when makes your
patient management more e#cient and cost-e"ective.
We anticipate opening our facility at (your address) by (insert month) of this year. We will send
you an announcement when dates and phone numbers are confirmed. In the interim, if you
have any questions regarding assessment or treatment options for your patients with dizziness
or balance problems, please call us at (your phone number).
Sincerely,
Example Press Release to announce new program
or services. Send to health editors, and news
directors at local newspapers, radio and television
stations. Put on your letterhead.
Contact:!
!
!
!
!
Your Name
Your Facility/Department
Your Phone Number/email address
!
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For Immediate Release
PATIENTS IMPROVE BALANCE AND MOBILITY WITH NEW EQUIPMENT AT
(Your Facility Name)
(Your City, State) – Balance disorders are a serious health concern impacting a large percentage
of the population. Individuals with balance problems often experience a frustrating cycle of
physician referrals from one specialist to the next, mounting medical expenses, and no clear
resolution of their problem. However, modern technology is o"ering new hope to these
patients. The same technology used to measure equilibrium in NASA shuttle crews pre- and
post-flight is now assisting clinicians in assessing and treating patients with balance-related
problems at (Your Facility Name). The (Name of your NeuroCom System – i.e. Balance Master®,
EquiTest®, etc.) assessment and rehabilitation system installed (Today, Last Week, etc.)
represents the most advanced balance and mobility assessment and treatment equipment
available.
Patients at (Your Facility) with balance, mobility and/or dizziness problems are tested on the
(NeuroCom System Name) which consists of a highly sensitive forceplate connected to a
computer. The forceplate measures the patient’s center of gravity and weight-bearing
symmetry as they perform various tasks designed to objectively assess functional ability.
Specific tests can isolate the di"erent senses (vestibular, visual and somatosensory) that
contribute to balance control and help identify the patient’s balance problem. Other
performance tests objectively measure the patient’s ability to safely and e#ciently perform
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Patients Improve Balance – Page 2
mobility tasks that are common in daily life activities. The data provided by these computerized
tests aid clinicians at (Your Facility) in developing the best treatment for each individual patient.
Patients at the clinic can also perform various exercises on the (NeuroCom System Name) as
part of their therapy. The system includes interactive technology with instant biofeedback,
which is displayed on a computer screen to guide and prompt patients during rehabilitation.
The patient’s movements are represented by an icon that follows exactly how a task is being
performed. Targets may appear on the computer screen as the patient attempts to control their
icon. The goal is to make the icon reach the targets, much like a video game. The clinician can
design targets to encourage specific movements by the patient, thereby helping to build
physical stability, endurance and confidence. Both the patient and the clinician can see the
system’s computer screen in real time as the patient shifts his or her center of gravity. Patients
find the interactive nature of the system motivating as they can see immediately how they are
performing.
The (NeuroCom System Name) has specific applications to patients recovering from stroke,
head injury, and orthopedic or sports injuries. These conditions can restrict freedom of
movement and expose the individual to the dangers of falling.
The equipment is also helping aging patients with balance problems such as dizziness,
unsteadiness and falls. According to several medical studies, one-third to one-half of the
population age 65 and older fall each year and many of these individuals require costly hospital
stays due to fractures or head injuries.
The (NeuroCom System Name) is manufactured by NeuroCom® International, Inc. in Clackamas,
Oregon. For more information on the (NeuroCom System Name) other advances in balance
assessment or rehabilitation, please contact (Name) at (Facility Name), (Phone Number).
###
Example New Clinic/Practice Announcement.
Send to targeted referral sources. Put on your
letterhead.
Many physicians don’t like dealing with dizziness and balance
problems.
Why?
•
It is di#cult, if not impossible, to confirm a diagnosis.
•
The same treatment might work for some patients, but fails miserably with
others.
•
Specialists evaluate the problem through the prism of their own discipline, and
rarely confirm the problem.
•
Referring to specialists risks losing control of the management of the patient.
•
There just doesn’t seem to be much to o"er these patients, and they just don’t
get better.
•
It’s not easy to separate legitimate problems from exaggerated ones.
Many patients with dizziness and balance problems don’t like
dealing with physicians.
Why?
•
It is di#cult, if not impossible, to confirm a diagnosis.
•
The same treatment might work for some patients but fails miserably with
others.
•
Specialists evaluate the problem through the prism of their own discipline, and
rarely confirm the problem.
•
Physicians don’t seem to take their complaints seriously. Some patients will
keep shopping for a physician who understands their symptoms and can o"er
some genuine improvement.
•
Physicians often advise patients to live with the problem, apparently not
appreciating the daily functional limitations of dizziness or balance problems.
We are pleased to announce the opening of a new specialized practice o!ering
state-of-the-art assessment for patients with dizziness and balance problems.
We can perform a comprehensive evaluation of patients with dizziness or balance
complaints, including both conventional diagnostic tests and quantitative assessment
of balance impairment.
We can provide you with the information to manage your patient more e!ectively to
reduce impairment and increase functional performance. We can also perform periodic
re-assessment to evaluate and document treatment e#cacy. Knowing what to treat
and when makes your patient management more e#cient and cost-e"ective.
We anticipate opening our facility at (your address) by (insert month) of this year. We will send
you an announcement when dates and phone numbers are confirmed. In the interim, if you
have any questions regarding assessment or treatment options for your patients with dizziness
or balance problems, please call us at (your phone number).
Sincerely,
Example “News Story” Send with new clinic/
program announcement to health editors, and
news directors at local newspapers, radio and
television stations. Put on your letterhead.
Contact:!
!
!
!
!
Your Name
Your Facility/Department
Your Phone Number/email address
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
For Immediate Release
BALANCE AND DIZZINESS RECEIVE NATIONAL ATTENTION
Balance and dizziness disorders are a widespread problem1 that have received prominent
attention in the media in the past several months as the issues of prevalence, costs, and impact
on patients comes to the forefront. Both CBS and ABC national news programs have aired
segments to bring this common and complex problem to light.
The CBS Evening News with Katie Couric recently aired a three minute segment focused on
balance. The local ABC a#liate in the Los Angeles area (KABC) also televised a news story on
innovative and e"ective approaches to the problem.
[NAME OF FACILITY] in [NAME OF CITY] provides specialized assessment and treatment at the
same high level as featured in these news segments. A key component of the program is a
unique computerized system used for both assessment and treatment of balance problems that
was prominently featured in the national news stories.
[INSERT FACILITY NAME] has remarkable local stories to follow-up on this national coverage. We
can answer questions regarding assessment or treatment options for patients with dizziness or
balance problems. Please call us at (your phone number).
1
Approximately 12.5 million Americans over age 65 have a balance or dizziness disorder that
significantly interferes with their lives. At least 50% of Americans over age 40 are a"ected by a
balance problem sometime during their lives.
###
Example New Clinic/Practice Announcement.
Send to local media. Print out on your letterhead.
Contact:!
!
!
!
!
Your Name
Your Facility/Department
Your Phone Number/email address
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
For Immediate Release
[INSERT FACILITY NAME] is pleased to announce that [INSERT CLINICIAN’S NAME] has
successfully completed a 20-hour intensive balance training seminar at the NeuroCom
International, Inc. headquartered in Portland, Oregon. The Clinical Integration Seminar focuses
on specialized techniques and clinical systems to e"ectively assess and treat patients with
balance and dizziness disorders.
Balance and dizziness disorders are a major health concern. Each year, one-third to one-half of
the U.S. population age 65 and older experience falls. Half of the elderly people who fall do so
repeatedly. Falls are the leading cause of injury in older adults. Many falls lead to fractures and
account for more than 300,000 hip fractures annually. Approximately one-half of the older
adults who are hospitalized for fall-related injuries are discharged to nursing home.
[INSERT FACILITY NAME] is a specialized practice providing state-of-the-art assessment for
patients with balance and dizziness problems. Patients with dizziness or balance complaints
receive a comprehensive evaluation, including computerized clinical systems originally
developed with NASA support. The computerized environment provides healthcare providers
with unique insight about the contributing components of a patient’s balance problem. The
same system is used for specialized therapy to improve patient’s balance performance.
For more information regarding assessment or treatment options for patients with balance or
dizziness problems, please call us at (your phone number).
###