Brazil's Health Ministry Launches Elderly Fall Prevention Guide

The Brazilian Ministry of Health released an educational booklet, "Prevenção de Quedas em Pessoas Idosas," ahead of World Fall Prevention Day. Developed with the University of Brasília, the guide offers simple daily exercises, mental challenges, and a 12‑week program focusing on flexibility, balance, strength and vision, aiming to reduce falls among the country's 35.4 million seniors. Statistics from the Longitudinal Study of Brazilian Elderly Health show that 20.9% of people aged 60+ experienced a fall in the past year, with higher rates among women, and a significant share requiring medical care.

In the state of Santa Catarina, the Secretariat of State Health participated in the II Catarinense Symposium on Elderly Fall Prevention at the Legislative Assembly in Florianópolis. Health officials, researchers and community representatives discussed the state's Elderly Care Line, shared policy experiences, and outlined strategies to strengthen fall‑prevention measures and promote healthy aging across municipalities.