I feel that I should sound the alarm, but do not want to sound like an alarmist. But injuries from falls have become a serious problem in America.
Sometimes the facts can be a little disconcerting, therefore, the purpose for sharing the following statistics is merely to make you aware of the potential physical harm and economic costs of falls to adults 65 years and older.
Did you know that one third (33%) of adults the age of 65 and older fall each year? Many of those will suffer injuries from falls that can be life threatening. Did you also know that many of those falls could have been prevented?
Did you know that one third (33%) of adults the age of 65 and older fall each year? Many of those will suffer injuries from falls that can be life threatening. Did you also know that many of those falls could have been prevented?
Falls are the leading cause of death and injury among those persons over 64 years of age.
Every second of every day, an older adult has a fall
29 million adults fall each year
Every 20 minutes, an older adult dies from a fall
That is 74 people per day
Or 27,000 per year
One out of five falls (7 million per year) causes a serious injury such as broken bones or a head injury
Many more are injured from a fall
Almost 2.8 million older adults are treated in emergency departments for minor fall injuries each year
Over 800,00 patients a year are hospitalized each year because of a fall injury, most often because of a head injury or hip fracture
Of the 800,000 hospitalizations each year, at least 300,000 older people are hospitalized for hip fractures
More than 95% of hip fractures are caused by falling, usually by falling sideways
Falls are the most common cause of traumatic brain injuries
In 2015, the total medical costs for falls totaled more than $50 billion
Direct Medicare medical costs for fall injuries total over $31 billion annually
Hospital costs account for two-thirds ($20 billion) of the total cost
Fifty percent of those who fall do not tell their healthcare provider
Falls typically involve multiple risk factors, many of which can be remediated
Saving Our Nation's Economy while Helping Others
I think we forget sometimes how the government pays for Medicare, Medicaid, and other programs that benefit our citizens. We, the American working people, pay taxes from each and every paycheck to help fund these programs; those people who sign up for Medicare pay an insurance premium as well.
Most falls occur in older adults (over 65 years of age), the same group that uses Medicare for its insurance.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that by the year 2030, there will be 74 million Americans over the age of 65, with potentially 49 million taking a fall and 12 million sustaining injuries.
The cost of falls each year in the United States exceeds $50 billion. $29 billion is assessed to Medicare, $9 billion to Medicaid, and $12 billion to the individuals who had the fall. The average hospital cost for injuries from falls is over $30,000 and increases with age.
As you can tell, the cost of falls to the American economy is massive, and will only get more expensive. By attempting to control the number of falls among our family members, friends, and those we care about, we will be able to lower the costs associated with those falls and thereby lower the need for the government to raise taxes or premiums to cover the ever-rising cost of medical care. This is a win-win for everyone!
So What is the Solution?
We must become more proactive in helping ourselves, our family, friends, and neighbors in preventing falls.
This starts with education.
First, we must understand the multitude of reasons why older adults fall. Some of the reasons are musculoskeletal problems, such as weakness, pain, stiffness, posture deviations, or poor vision. At other times falls could be caused by other contributing factors such as medication interactions, undesirable outdoor or indoor environments, including animals and small children, or simply being in a hurry.
The good news is that we can take steps to reduce each and every one of those reasons for falls.
And that is the purpose for starting this website and sharing this information. It is my hope that I provide regular resources that you will apply and use for yourself and with those that you love. As we work together, I can assure you that you will see a “regain” in balance that can have a positive effect on our health as well as our economy in the future.
How Regain-Balance Can Help
Right now, you are probably saying to yourself, “But Jeff, I don’t know how or where to start!” Let me assure you that you are not alone. If we all knew what we should do to prevent falls, this wouldn’t be a problem of epidemic proportions!
To start, please remember that Rome wasn’t built in a day and we didn’t get to the situation that we are in overnight either. Fixing this problem will also take time. The good news is that simply by reading this, you have shown me that you are serious about doing what you need to do to help yourself and those that you love to reduce the possibilities of falls.
It is my hope that the information and resources that I provide can help you in this process. I am excited to be your coach and undertake this new adventure with you to increased health and wellness in your silver and golden years.
For now, subscribe to our email list by completing the balance-killer quiz so that I can share each of the resources that I post to help you and those you love as we take each step together.
