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[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 674 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 674

    Designating September 22, 2008, 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 22 (legislative day, September 17), 2008

Ms. Mikulski (for herself, Mr. Enzi, Mr. Burr, and Mr. Hatch) submitted 
      the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
    Designating September 22, 2008, as ``National Falls Prevention 
  Awareness Day'' to raise awareness and encourage the prevention of 
                       falls among older adults.

Whereas older adults value their independence and a fall can significantly limit 
        their ability to remain self-sufficient;
Whereas falls are the leading cause of death from unintentional injuries among 
        older adults in the United States;
Whereas older adults are by far the population at greatest risk for falling 
        unintentionally, with more than \1/3\ of all people 65 years or older 
        falling each year;
Whereas older adults who fall once are 2 to 3 times more likely than adults who 
        have not fallen to fall again;
Whereas, in 2000, the Bureau of the Census reported that more than 34,800,000 
        adults older than the age of 65 live in the United States, and that 
        number is expected to grow to almost 55,000,000 by 2020;
Whereas 20 to 30 percent of older adults who fall suffer moderate to severe 
        injuries, such as bruising, hip fractures, and head traumas;
Whereas, in 2005, falls resulted in nearly 1,800,000 older adults being treated 
        in emergency departments and more than 433,000 older adults being 
        hospitalized;
Whereas, in 2005, nearly 16,000 people aged 65 and older died from injuries 
        related to unintentional falls;
Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that the mortality 
        rate from falls among older adults increased 45 percent between 2000 and 
        2004;
Whereas the total in direct costs associated with both fatal and non-fatal falls 
        is more than $19,000,000,000 annually for hospitalization, emergency 
        department visits, and outpatient care;
Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that if the rate 
        of increase in falls is not stemmed, annual direct treatment costs will 
        reach $43,800,000,000 by 2020, with an annual cost under the Medicare 
        program of $32,400,000,000;
Whereas evidence-based programs show promise in reducing falls and facilitating 
        cost-effective interventions, such as comprehensive clinical 
        assessments, exercise programs to improve balance and health, management 
        of medications, correction of vision, and reduction of home hazards;
Whereas, on April 23, 2008, the Safety of Seniors Act of 2007 (Public Law 110-
        202) was enacted, amending the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 280b 
        et seq.) to create a national education campaign aimed at older adults, 
        their families, and healthcare providers, and injury prevention programs 
        that focus on the reduction and prevention of falls among older adults; 
        and
Whereas the Falls Free Coalition Advocacy Work Group, its numerous supporting 
        organizations and all other supportive organizations, should be 
        commended for their efforts to raise awareness and to promote greater 
        understanding, research, and pilot programs to prevent falls among older 
        adults: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) designates September 22, 2008, as ``National Falls 
        Prevention Awareness Day'';
            (2) commends the National Falls Free Coalition and all 
        other supportive organizations for their efforts to promote 
        awareness about preventing and reducing falls among older 
        people in the United States;
            (3) encourages the private sector, the public health 
        community, healthcare providers, advocacy organizations, and 
        Federal, State, and local governments to work together to 
        increase education and awareness about the prevention of falls; 
        and
            (4) urges national and community organizations, businesses, 
        individuals, and the media to use National Falls Prevention 
        Awareness Day to promote awareness of this important public 
        health problem in an effort to reduce the incidence of falls 
        among older people in the United States.
                                 <all>
```