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Aging News & Information
Falls Have Become the Leading Cause of Injury Deaths
for Senior Citizens
CDC says that men more likely to
experience fatality than women
 November 16, 2006 - Fall-related death rates for
men and women 65 years and older increased significantly from 1993 to
2003, according to a report released today in the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention's (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).
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Related Stories |
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Walking Safely After Age 70 Requires More Attention,
Thinking - So They Say
Researchers see
slow gait (senior shuffle) as significant risk for falls
March 27, 2006 - Psychologists wanting to help old
people safely cross the street and otherwise ambulate around this busy
world have found that from age 70 and up, safe walking may require solid
"executive control" (which includes attention) and memory skills. For
the old, slow gait is a significant risk factor for falls, many of which
result in disabling fractures, loss of independence or even death.
Read more...
Falls by Elderly Men May Be Caused by Low
Testosterone Levels
 October 23, 2006 - Low testosterone levels may be
associated with a higher risk of falling in older men, according to a
report in the October 23 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of
the JAMA/Archives journals. And, it leads the authors to suspect that
low testosterone in these senior citizens may also indicate higher risk
for other problems.
Read more...
Senior Citizens Have Lower Testosterone Levels than
Peers of 15 Years Ago
Levels declining in
all Americans and not just due to age
October 24, 2006 – A study released yesterday found
that falls by male senior citizens may be due to low testosterone
levels. A study released today, however, makes matters even worse. It
says testosterone levels in older Americans have been declining steadily
over the last twenty years, and does not appear to be just the result to
getting older.
Read more...
NIHSeniorHealth Website Adds Information on
Preventing Falls
Each year 1.6 million seniors go to the emergency
room due to falls
October 17, 2006 - Each year, more than 1.6 million
older Americans go to the emergency room for fall-related injuries.
Among older adults, falls are the number one cause of fractures,
hospital admissions for trauma, loss of independence and injury-related
deaths, but falls are not an inevitable part of life, even as a person
gets older. Information about the risks of falling and what you can do
to prevent falls has just been added to NIHSeniorHealth.gov.
Read more...
Many Elderly Caregivers Do Not Know How to Make
Homes Fall-Safe
Home Safety Council finds many homes lack
critical safety elements
September 20, 2006 - Studies show that one-third of
senior citizens aged 65 or older - or nearly 12 million people -
experience falls each year and almost 5,000 die from falls in the home.
The Home Safety Council went to caregivers to find out why more is not
being done to make homes safer for the elderly and found that many just
do not know what to do to make them safer.
Read more...
Bathing Problems Common in Older Adults Can Be
Prevented
Study finds safety problems among many who bathe
without help
B
Katie Gazella, U-M Health System
September
14, 2006 - Getting in and out of the bathtub or shower can be a perilous
journey for older adults, including those as young as 60, even when they
have bathrooms already equipped with safety features, according to
research by the University of Michigan Health System.
Read more...
Read more
Aging News & Information
More on
Eldercare |
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In 2003, more than 13,700 older adults died from
falls, making them the leading cause of injury deaths among people 65
and older. From 1993 to 2003 fatal falls increased by more than 55
percent - with more men (46.2 percent) dying from falls than women (31.1
percent). The report also indicates that in 2003 almost 1.8 million
seniors were treated in emergency departments for nonfatal injuries from
falls and more than 460,000 were hospitalized. In 2000, the direct
medical costs for falls among older adults were approximately $19
billion.
"Fall death rates have increased faster than fall
injury rates. In large part, this is because people are living longer,
and many of our seniors now are older and frailer. They need our help to
prevent potentially fatal fall injuries," said Dr. Judy Stevens, an
epidemiologist in CDC's Injury Center and author of the report.
Other highlights in the report are:
● From 1993 to 2003, fatal fall rates increased
for both sexes and all races, but they remained consistently higher for
men.
● In contrast to fatal falls, rates for nonfatal fall-related injuries
were, on average, 48% higher for women than for men.
● The decline in women's hip fracture injury rates from 2001 to 2004
may be a result of prevention efforts such as osteoporosis screening
combined with widespread education about treatments to rebuild bone
mass.
● As they age, men become more susceptible to hip fractures if they
fall. Osteoporosis screening and treatment may also benefit them.
"Injuries from falls and the fear of falling, lead
older adults to limit their activities, which can interfere with
independent living. But we know that falls are not inevitable. CDC and
its partners have simple strategies that can help seniors and
caregivers," said Dr. Ileana Arias, director of CDC's Injury Center.
"Working with the CDC Foundation and MetLife Foundation, we have updated
and revised information that we believe can play a critical role in
reversing the trend in fall deaths and injuries among our nation's older
adults."
Two brochures help older adults and their families
and caregivers understand fall risks and ways to prevent falls. What YOU
Can Do to Prevent Falls explains steps that older adults can take to
reduce their risk of falling.
These steps include:
● Exercising regularly; exercise programs like
Tai Chi that increase strength and improve balance are especially good.
● Asking their doctor or pharmacist to review their medicines-both
prescription and over-the-counter-to reduce side effects and
interactions.
● Having their eyes checked by an eye doctor at least once a year.
● Making their homes safer by eliminating fall hazards and improving
lighting.
Check for Safety: A Home Fall Prevention Checklist
for Older Adults offers a room-by-room list of hazards to look for in
the home that can increase the risk of falling and tips for reducing
these hazards.
Four posters, designed for use in health care
facilities, senior centers, and other community organizations, highlight
each of the prevention messages in the brochures. All of these products
are available in English, Spanish, and Chinese.
Electronic and print copies of the brochures and
posters are available free of charge at
www.cdc.gov/ncipc/duip/fallsmaterial.htm. For more information about
falls among older adults, or injury in general, visit the CDC Injury
Center's website at
www.cdc.gov/injury.
Learning More About Preventing Falls
Among Older Adults
Among people 65 years and older, falls are the
leading cause of injury deaths and the most common cause of nonfatal
injuries and hospital admissions for trauma. Each year in the United
States, nearly one third of older adults experience a fall.
In 2003, more than 13,700 people 65 years or
older died of fall-related injuries. Another 1.8 million were treated in
emergency departments for nonfatal injuries related to falls. The total
direct cost for falls among older adults in 2000 was about $19 billion.
Given the growing population of this age group, this cost is expected to
reach $43.8 billion by 2020.
To learn more about falls among older adults and
what can be done to prevent them, check out the materials that follow.
Fact Sheets
Falls Among Older Adults: An Overview
Provides an overview of the problem of falls among older adults in the
United States and a brief outline of prevention strategies.
Costs of Falls Among Older Adults
Discusses the direct costs associated with fatal and nonfatal falls
among older adults in the United States.
Hip Fractures Among Older Adults
Provides information about the occurrence, consequences, and costs of
hip fractures, which are common fall-related injuries.
Falls in Nursing Homes
Discusses falls and their prevention among nursing home residents.
CDC Fall Prevention Activities
Highlights CDC-sponsored projects aimed at preventing falls among older
adults.
Brochures
Two brochures, developed by CDC and redesigned in
partnership with the CDC Foundation and MetLife Foundation, provide
steps that older adults and those who care for them can take to reduce
the risk of falls and related injuries. Both are available in English,
Spanish, and Chinese.
What YOU Can Do to Prevent Falls
Highlights four personal strategies for preventing falls.
Check for Safety: A Home Fall Prevention Checklist for Older Adults
Lists things to check for and fix in the home to reduce the risk of
falls.
Posters
Four
posters were developed in partnership with the CDC Foundation and
MetLife Foundation. Each highlights one of four key strategies for
preventing falls among older adults. All are available in English,
Spanish, and Chinese.
Figures and Maps
Charts, tables, and maps depict statistics about fall-related deaths
and injuries. See trends in fall-related death and nonfatal injury rates
and compare death rates by sex and by state.
Websites About Older Adults and Falls
Looking for more information? Click on the links
below for other organizations working to prevent older adult falls.
American Association of Retired Persons - An organization for people
50 and older that provides information and education, advocacy, and
community services through a national network of local chapters and
experienced volunteers.
Gerontological Society of America - A multidisciplinary organization
dedicated to the scientific study of aging and to the translation and
dissemination of research for practice and policy.
Home Safety Council - A national nonprofit organization dedicated to
preventing home-related injuries.
National Council on Aging - An advocacy organization dedicated to
improving the health and independence of older persons and to increasing
their contributions to communities, society, and future generations.
National Institute on Aging - One of the National Institutes of
Health, the NIA promotes healthy aging by conducting and supporting
biomedical, social, and behavioral research and public education.
National Osteoporosis Foundation - A voluntary, nonprofit health
organization and resource for information about the causes, prevention,
and treatment of osteoporosis, a risk factor for fall-related fractures.
National Resource Center for Safe Aging – The Center gathers and
shares information and resources on senior safety with public health
professionals, older adults, and their families.
U.S. Administration on Aging - The Administration works to raise
awareness among other federal agencies, organizations, groups, and the
public about both the contributions and needs of older Americans. It
also informs older people and their caregivers about the benefits and
services available to help them.
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission - The federal regulatory
agency that protects the public against unreasonable risks of injuries
and deaths from consumer products.
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