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FALL PREVENTION TOPICS

The Facts About Falls | Medication and Fall Prevention | Physical Activity and Fall Prevention | 

For Senior Adults, Families and Caregivers | For Health Care Providers | Local Service Coordinators/Health Educators  

THE FACTS ABOUT FALLS

"Falls are the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries for older Americans. Falls threaten older adults’ safety and independence and generate enormous economic and personal costs. However, falling is not an inevitable result of aging. Through practical lifestyle adjustments, evidence-based falls prevention programs, and community partnerships, the number of falls among seniors can be substantially reduced."

Source: National Council of Aging

Statistics

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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  • One-fourth of Americans aged 65+ falls each year.

  • Every 11 seconds, an older adult is treated in the emergency room for a fall; every 19 minutes, an older adult dies from a fall.

  • Falls are the leading cause of fatal injury and the most common cause of nonfatal trauma-related hospital admissions among older adults.

  • Falls result in more than 3 million injuries treated in emergency departments annually, including over 850,000 hospitalizations and more than 29,000 deaths.

  •  In 2015, the total cost of fall injuries was $50 billion.

  • The financial toll for older adult falls is expected to increase as the population ages and may reach $67.7 billion by 2020.

Falls, with or without injury, also carry a heavy quality of life impact. A growing number of older adults fear falling and, as a result, limit their activities and social engagements. This can result in further physical decline, depression, social isolation, and feelings of helplessness.

For the full fact sheet from NCOA, click here.​

Six Steps to Prevent Falls flyer (English version Spanish version)

Ohio Department of Health Unintentional Falls among Older Adults:
Demographics & Trends, 2019, is available here.​

Web References

To access references for information found on this website, please visit the References page.

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