Overview

Falls remain a leading cause of injury or death for persons 65 and over and threaten safety and independence while generating enormous economic and personal costs.  Older adults are at a disproportionately high risk  for poor outcomes following injury. The aging process affects visual, cognitive, and psychomotor skills; even simple tasks of daily living can put older adults at risk for injury from a fall. The Injury Center at the Center for Disease Control (CDC)  monitors falls, fall-related injuries, and associated costs. They report:

• About 36 million older adults fall each year—resulting in more than 32,000 deaths.
• Each year, about 3 million older adults are treated in emergency departments for a fall injury.
• One out of every five falls causes an injury, such as broken bones or a head injury.
• Each year at least 300,000 older people are hospitalized for hip fractures.
• More than 95% of hip fractures are caused from falling—usually by falling sideways.
• Women fall more often than men and account for three-quarters of all hip fractures.
• By 2030, the annual direct and indirect cost of fall injuries is expected to reach $54.9 billion.

Unintentional falls among adults 65 and older were the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injury in the United States accounting for 63.3% of the total number of unintentional falls in 2019. Hospital costs associated with injuries sustained by falls account for a substantial share of health care dollars spent on injury-related care.

Research reveals that falls are preventable with appropriate interventions.  The literature divides interventions for fall prevention into five categories including 1) exercise interventions, 2) medication management, 3) vision screening, 4) home safety assessment, and 5) multifactorial interventions that include a combination of the above. This book will explore each of these interventions separately, giving the reader information and resources on each in an effort to keep all older adults healthy and active.