III 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 638 

Designating September 22, 2018, 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 18, 2018 

Ms. COLLINS (for herself and Mr. CASEY) submitted the following resolution; 

which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Designating September 22, 2018, 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 49,200,000 in 2016 to 

94,700,000 in 2060; 

Whereas more than 1 of 4 older adults in the United States 

falls each year; 

Whereas falls are the leading cause of both fatal and nonfatal 

injuries among older adults; 


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•SRES 638 ATS 

Whereas, in 2016, approximately 3,000,000 older adults were 

treated in hospital emergency departments for fall-related 

injuries; 

Whereas, in 2016, more than 29,000 older adults died from 

injuries related to unintentional falls and the death rate 

from falls of older adults in the United States has risen 

sharply in the last decade; 

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

injuries for older adults, adjusted for inflation, was 

$50,000,000,000; 

Whereas, if the rate of increase in falls is not slowed, the annual cost of fall injuries will reach $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 22, 2018, 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 coa8 litions in 43 States and the District of Columbia for 

9 their efforts to work together to increase education 


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•SRES 638 ATS 

1 and awareness about preventing falls among older 

2 adults; 

3 (4) encourages businesses, individuals, Federal, 

4 State, and local governments, the public health com5 munity, and health care providers to work together 

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

7 incidence of falls among older adults in the United 

8 States; 

9 (5) recognizes the Centers for Disease Control 

10 and Prevention for its work developing and evalu11 ating interventions for all members of health care 

12 teams to make falls prevention a routine part of 

13 clinical care; 

14 (6) recognizes the Administration for Commu15 nity Living for its work to promote access to evi16 dence-based programs and services in communities 

17 across the United States; 

18 (7) encourages State health departments and 

19 State units on aging, which provide significant lead20 ership in reducing injuries and related health care 

21 costs by collaborating with organizations and indi22 viduals, to reduce falls among older adults; and 


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•SRES 638 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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