III 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 327 

Designating September 23, 2019, as ‘‘National Falls Prevention Awareness 

Day’’ to raise awareness and encourage the prevention of falls among 

older adults. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 24, 2019 

Ms. COLLINS (for herself, Mr. CASEY, Mr. SCOTT of South Carolina, Mrs. 

GILLIBRAND, Ms. MCSALLY, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Mr. HAWLEY, Ms. WARREN, Mr. BRAUN, Mr. JONES, Mr. SCOTT of Florida, Ms. SINEMA, and 

Ms. ROSEN) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and 

agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Designating September 23, 2019, as ‘‘National Falls Prevention Awareness Day’’ to raise awareness and encourage 

the prevention of falls among older adults. 

Whereas individuals who are 65 years of age or older (referred to in this preamble as ‘‘older adults’’) are the fastest growing segment of the population in the United 

States, and the number of older adults in the United 

States will increase from approximately 52,000,000 in 

2018 to an estimated 95,000,000 by 2060; 

Whereas approximately 30 percent of older adults in the 

United States fall each year, with each 5-year increment 

in age increasing the risk of falls; 


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•SRES 327 ATS 

Whereas falls are the leading cause of both fatal and nonfatal 

injuries among older adults; 

Whereas, in 2018, approximately 3,000,000 older adults were 

treated in hospital emergency departments for fall-related 

injuries, and nearly 870,000 of those older adults were 

subsequently hospitalized; 

Whereas, in 2017, more than 31,000 older adults died from 

injuries related to unintentional falls, and the death rate 

from falls of older adults in the United States is expected 

to continue to sharply rise to more than 100,000 per year 

by 2030; 

Whereas, in 2015, the total direct medical cost of fall-related 

injuries for older adults, adjusted for inflation, was approximately $50,000,000,000; 

Whereas, if the rate of increase in falls is not slowed, the annual cost of fall injuries will surpass $100,000,000,000 

by 2030; and 

Whereas evidence-based programs reduce falls by utilizing 

cost-effective strategies, such as exercise programs to improve balance and strength, medication management, vision improvement, reduction of home hazards, and fall 

prevention education: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) designates September 23, 2019, as ‘‘Na3 tional Falls Prevention Awareness Day’’; 

4 (2) recognizes that there are proven, cost-effec5 tive falls prevention programs and policies; 

6 (3) commends the 72 member organizations of 

7 the Falls Free Coalition and the falls prevention coaVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:31 Sep 24, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR327.ATS SR327

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•SRES 327 ATS 

1 litions in 43 States and the District of Columbia for 

2 their efforts to work together to increase education 

3 and awareness about preventing falls among older 

4 adults; 

5 (4) encourages businesses, individuals, Federal, 

6 State, and local governments, the public health com7 munity, and health care providers to work together 

8 to raise awareness of falls in an effort to reduce the 

9 incidence of falls among older adults in the United 

10 States; 

11 (5) recognizes the Centers for Disease Control 

12 and Prevention for its work developing and evalu13 ating interventions for all members of health care 

14 teams to make falls prevention a routine part of 

15 clinical care; 

16 (6) recognizes the Administration for Commu17 nity Living for its work to promote access to evi18 dence-based programs and services in communities 

19 across the United States; 

20 (7) encourages State health departments and 

21 State units on aging, which provide significant lead22 ership in reducing injuries and related health care 

23 costs by collaborating with organizations and indi24 viduals, to reduce falls among older adults; and 


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•SRES 327 ATS 

1 (8) encourages experts in the field of falls pre2 vention to share their best practices so that their 

3 success can be replicated by others. 

Æ 


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