Preventing Falls Among Older Americans

Among people age 65 and older, falls are the leading cause of injury-related deaths. Every 15 seconds, an injury from a fall is treated in an emergency room, and every 35 minutes, a senior citizen dies following a fall. Falls cause disability and impair seniors’ quality of life. People often develop a fear of falling and restrict their activities, which can lead to loss of strength and balance and increase their chances of falling.

More than $26 billion is spent annually to treat injuries from falls, and this amount is expected to reach $54.9 billion by 2020. The average fall-related hospitalization costs the health care system $17,500. Falls that require nursing home care shift costs from Medicare to state Medicaid programs.