III 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 264 

Designating September 23, 2015, 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, 2015 

Ms. COLLINS (for herself and Mrs. MCCASKILL) submitted the following 

resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Designating September 23, 2015, as ‘‘National Falls Prevention Awareness Day’’ to raise awareness and encourage 

the prevention of falls among older adults. 

Whereas older adults, 65 years of age and older, are the fastest-growing segment of the population in the United 

States; 

Whereas the number of older adults in the United States will 

increase from 35,000,000 in 2000 to 82,300,000 in 

2040; 

Whereas 1 out of 3 adults over age 65 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 264 ATS 

Whereas, in 2013, approximately 2,500,000 older adults were 

treated in hospital emergency departments for fall-related 

injuries, and more than 734,000 were subsequently hospitalized; 

Whereas, in 2013, more than 25,500 older adults died from 

injuries related to unintentional falls, and the death rates 

from falls among older adults in the United States have 

risen sharply in the last decade; 

Whereas, in 2013, the total direct medical cost of fall-related 

injuries for older adults, adjusted for inflation, was 

$34,000,000,000; 

Whereas if the rate of increase in falls is not slowed, the annual cost of fall injuries will reach $67,700,000,000 by 

2020; and 

Whereas evidence-based programs show promise in reducing 

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, 2015, 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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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) urges the Centers for Disease Control and 

10 Prevention to continue developing and evaluating 

11 interventions to prevent falls among older adults 

12 that will translate into effective community-based 

13 falls prevention programs; 

14 (6) urges the Administration for Community 

15 Living, the Centers for Disease Control and Preven16 tion, and partners to continue to promote evidence17 based programs and services in communities across 

18 the United States to reduce the number of older 

19 adults at risk for falls; 

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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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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