315-488-2951 Menu Home Programs/Services Careers Support About Us News/Events Contact Us Pay Bill Online What We Know About Falls and Fall-Related Injuries Home / Blog / What We Know About Falls and Fall-Related Injuries SEPTEMBER 9, 2015 We happen to know quite a bit about falls here in the United States. First we know that they are widespread. About 1 out of 3 older adults fall annually, and your chances of falling increase as you get older. Falls are the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries in those over 65, and they impact the quality of life of older adults and their families. Over 2.2 million non-fatal falls are treated in emergency rooms each year and result in over .5 million hospital admissions. Over 18,000 older adults die from falls each year. Falls are the most common cause of brain injuries in older adults and are responsible for 90% of hip fractures in older adults. About one-third of people who sustain a hip fracture will die within a year and another third will be in a nursing home. Falls change the way older adults live and impacts the lives of their families and friends who may need to provide care or who simply worry about their loved ones falling again. We know that falls are very, very expensive. We now spend over $ 28 billion dollars annually – that’s billions. And the cost will go to $55 billion by 2020. But, mostly we know that falls are preventable. Exercise programs, monitoring medication, and doing a home evaluation for fall risk factors decrease the risk of falls for older adults. Many types of exercise programs that increase strength and challenge balance significantly reduce the incidence of falls and of fall related injuries. Having your doctor or pharmacist review ALL of your medications to look for medication interactions or medications that increase fall risk can help reduce fall risk. Evaluating your home for loose rugs, slippery floors, worn rugs on floors and stairs, poorly lit areas, loose cords on the floor, loose or no hand rails on stairs and other factors and repairing them can help minimize your chances of a fall. And, getting a fall risk evaluation can help prevent falls. What We Know About Falls and Fall-Related Injuries was written by Patrick VanBeveren, PT, DPT, MA, OCS, GCS, CSCS. Search LIKE US ON FACEBOOK SEE US ON LINKEDIN CONTACT US The Centers at St. Camillus 813 Fay Road Syracuse, NY 13219 315-488-2951 NEWSLETTER Subscribe to our newsletter VIEW OUR CATALOG OF SERVICES © Copyright 2021 - The Centers at St. Camillus Code of Conduct Current Rates Deficit Reduction Act DSRIP Notice Emergency Preparedness NYS Public Disclosure PHL 2803 Privacy Practices Title VI Info EOE/Affirmative Action Employer