News
New study underscores impact of falls on the elderly
12 March 2008
A study by the US Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC)highlights the high risk of falls for the over 65s [1]. About
16% of all people over 65 had suffered a fall during a three-month
period and just under a third of those suffering a fall had to see a healthcare
provider or restrict their activity due to the fall.
No difference existed in the percentage of men and women who
reported falling in the previous three months, but about 36%
of women reported injuries compared to about 25% of men.
Falls are the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries for
persons aged 65 and over and the leading cause of hip fractures.
Consequences of falls are functional impairment, disability, nursing
home admission, increased medical costs and increased demands on care
services.
"We want to help our elders and their children or
caregivers to know that there are ways to ensure older adults can live
better and longer," said Dr Ileana Arias, director of CDC's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. "It's important that people can live healthy and independent lives
without fear of falling. To help, CDC has developed several new guides
and resources that describe the best ways to reduce the risk of falls.
We believe this will help older adults remain self-sufficient, longer."
CDC has three resources available online to help develop effective
fall-prevention programs:
- Preventing Falls: What Works. A Compendium of Effective
Community-based Interventions from Around the World. This contains 14
community-based actions or activities that have proven effective in
reducing falls among older adults. This resource gives public health
practitioners and community organisations descriptions and relevant
details about these interventions:
www.cdc.gov/ncipc/preventingfalls
- Preventing Falls: How to Develop Community-based Fall Prevention
Programs for Older Adults. This provides community-based
organizations with a guide for developing fall prevention programs.
This useful how-to describes the building blocks of effective fall
prevention programs and gives examples, resources, and tips for
creating, promoting, and evaluating a fall prevention program:
www.cdc.gov/ncipc/preventingfalls
- Help Seniors Live Better, Longer: Prevent Brain Injury is an
initiative developed in collaboration with 26 organisations to help
children of older adults and other caregivers prevent, recognize,
and respond to fall-related traumatic brain injury (TBI) among older
adults. This initiative features easy-to-use English and
Spanish language materials for caregivers and older adults, as well
as event and media guides for organisations and public health
professionals:.
www.cdc.gov/BrainInjuryinSeniors
Further information on
CDC's work in preventing older adult falls is available at
www.cdc.gov/injury
Reference
1. Stevens JA, Mack KA, Paulozzi LJ, Ballesteros MF. Self-Reported
Falls and Fall-Related Injuries Among Persons Aged >65 Years — United
States, 2006. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, CDC,
March 2008.
www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5709a1.htm
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