The Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association (PPA) is leading the 2026–2027 NCOA Community Pharmacy Falls Risk Reduction Program, an initiative designed to strengthen community-based partnerships that improve the health, safety, and independence of older adults through fall-prevention activities. The program aims to enhance collaboration among pharmacists, prescribers, patients, and caregivers by supporting medication safety and healthy aging.
Now in its second year, the program’s overarching goal is to develop an evidence-based community pharmacy model focused on fall-risk screening, medication review, patient education, and coordinated follow-up. The National Council on Aging received funding for the initiative from the Administration for Community Living and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Participating community pharmacies use STEADI-Rx, a brief screening tool that helps identify older adults who may be at increased risk of falling and could benefit from pharmacist-led interventions. The assessment considers a patient’s history of falls, concerns about falling, postural hypotension, and medication-related risk.
“Community pharmacists interact frequently with older adults and are well positioned to identify fall-related concerns, particularly those associated with medication use,” said Victoria Elliot, CEO of the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association. “By strengthening communication among pharmacists, prescribers, patients, and caregivers, this program can help address modifiable risks and support older adults in remaining healthy and independent.”
For patients identified at increased risk, community-practice pharmacists will develop an individualized plan of care with specific, targeted interventions. Prescriber collaboration is a vital component of the initiative. With the patient’s consent, pharmacists may communicate screening results, medication-related concerns, completed interventions, and recommendations to prescribers with follow-up as warranted. Participating patients may receive multiple encounters based on the risks identified and their individualized care plan.
The program is intended to complement—not replace—the care provided by physicians and other healthcare professionals. Program outcomes will include changes in high-risk medication use and patients’ concerns or fear of falling.
ASCP and PPA have a membership affiliation agreement which offers discount codes for membership to the affiliate organization. For more general information about PPA, visit https://www.papharmacists.com/about-ppa/. To obtain a discount code to join ASCP, please contact Tim Hutchinson, ASCP Director of Membership at [email protected].
