Don’t let a stumble or slip lead to a hospital trip.
Join the Lincoln County Fall Coalition on September 14 from 1-3 p.m. to better understand how your daily gait (walk), posture and strength can play a role in losing your balance. Coalition members will be available to provide information on community resources and educational programs that could help reduce a slip, trip or stumble. Refreshments will be served. For more information on this free, confidential event or to pre-register, please call Jennifer Clark at the Aging and Disability Resource Center at 715-536-0311.
Did you know?
Falls continue to be the single greatest cause of accidental death for older adults – both locally and nationally – but Wisconsin’s death rate for adults age 65 or older is more than double the national average according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Governor Walker recently signed a proclamation declaring September 2017 Fall Prevention Awareness Month in Wisconsin and aging, public health and transportation safety advocates are increasing efforts to educate Wisconsin’s older adults on the risk and dangers of falls and ways to prevent them.
While explanations for Wisconsin’s high death rate remain in question, there’s no debate over the scale or impact of the issue. According to the CDC, 1 in 4 people age 65 or older has a fall each year in the U.S. The risk of serious injuries from falls increases with age and the costs are staggering. The CDC estimates that more than 95% of hip fractures in the U.S. are caused by a fall. In Wisconsin, the average hospital charge due to injuries from a fall was $34,854 in 2014. Total hospital and emergency department charges for falls that year totaled well over $700 million in the state.
With falls at epidemic proportions in the state, aging and public health leaders are calling for increased falls risk screening and referrals to interventions for people at risk of a fall. Many factors play a role in the likelihood an older adult will fall, and falls in turn can have a big impact on aspects of daily life and long-term independence. Understanding your risks for a fall is so important in helping to avoid a fall from happening.