FALL PREVENTION

Contact Passionate Healthcare Advocacy & Wellness for the latest seminars, resident clinics, and caregiver training on fall prevention.

Every year, approximately one-third of adults 65 or older fall in their home, and half of those over the age of 80 fall annually. Falls result in injury, long-term disability, and premature loss of independence. This is a preventable epidemic.

• Every 11 seconds, an older adult is treated in the emergency room for a fall.
• Every 19 minutes, an older adult dies from a fall.
• Falls are the leading cause of fatal injuries and the most common cause of non-fatal trauma-related hospital admissions among older adults (hip fractures and head trauma).
• 1 in every 3 adults 65 or older fall in their home each year, and 50% of those are over 80; resulting in injury, long-term disability, and premature loss of independence.
• Falls account for 25% of ALL hospital admisssions.
• Falls account for 40% of nursing home and care facility admissions.
• Among those who are admitted to a nursing home, nearly half will never return to independent living.

Tips to prevent falls:

• Manage chronic illnesses or conditions
• Get a regular eye exam
• Stay hydrated
• Slow transitions from rest or lying, to sitting and standing
• Talk to your physician and pharmacists about medications
• Stay active and exercise regularly
• Assess the safety of activities you engage in; problem solve alternatives and adapt for potential risks
• Identify and eliminate fall hazards in the home; have a professional assessment done
• Hire help to maintain safety within the home (caregiver, house cleaner, maintenance team, etc.)