Vancouver, WA – Fall prevention will be the topic of a Tuesday, April 21, meeting of the Commission on Aging. The meeting will be 4:30-6 p.m. in the sixth-floor hearing room of the Public Service Center, 1300 Franklin St. It is open to the public, and a chance for Clark County residents to share concerns about needs of local residents. Falls and fall-related injuries are serious issues for those over 65. In any 12-month period, one-third of people 65 and older and one-half of those older than 80 will fall. Healthcare costs related to falls were $34 billion in 2013; an associated death occurs approximately every 20 minutes. With an estimated 60,000 people in Clark County aged 65 and older, falls and fall-related injuries represent significant issues. Greg Noelck, co-founder of the Healthy Aging Alliance of Clark County, will be the speaker at the April 21 meeting. Noelck is a physical therapist with PeaceHealth’s HomeCare Southwest. The alliance was formed in October 2013 with a preliminary mission of addressing senior fall prevention. It is a volunteer, professional working group seeking to identify needs, resources and solutions regarding the significant negative impact associated with falls. Following a national trend, Clark County’s population of 60+ is growing and projected to almost double by 2030. The then-Board of County Commissioners appointed the aging commission to help the county and local cities implement an Aging Readiness Plan. It has 91 strategies about housing, transportation, recreation, lifestyle choices, support services and civic and social engagement. For more information: www.clark.wa.gov/aging.