September 22nd 2016 is the 9th annual Falls Prevention Day, according to the National Council on Aging (NCOA). This is an event that is launched each year to improve the awareness of just how many fall related injuries and fatalities actually occur in the elderly population.
Here are some astounding facts and statistics on falls for elderly Americans-according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
•As many as 1/3rd of U.S. adults 65 and over fall each and every year.
•Every 13 seconds, an elderly adult is treated for a fall in the E.R.
•Among the elderly population, falls are the single most common cause of injury and non-fatal trauma in hospital admissions.
•Over 734,000 hospitalizations and more than 25,000 deaths occur each year as a result of falls in the senior population.
•Over 2.5 million injuries are treated in emergency rooms each year as a result of falls.
•The financial liability for injuries from falls exceeds 34 billion dollars annually (this number is projected to reach nearly 67 billion by the year 2020)
When you read the staggering statistics, there’s no denying that falling is a very high risk for injuries (and even death) in the elderly segment of our society.
If you have a senior loved one with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), you are encouraged to click on the following link to watch the video on safety and falls prevention in the home. The video was featured on NCOA’s Facebook page and can be accessed by CLICKING HERE.
Learn more about Alzheimer’s prevention and other topics for AD caregivers by CLICKING HERE to sign up for our free 25 lesson course at AlzU.org today.
