Falls In Seniors

With each passing year, the number of falls in seniors increases. This is a growing problem that often times results in serious injury or even death.

How Big is this Health Concern?

While it is easy to believe that a fall will never happen to you, once you take a closer look at data provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, you will realize that you may be at risk.

Here are several statistics to consider:

• 1 out of every 3 adults over the age of 65 falls every year
• Of the adults that experience a fall, less than half discuss it with their doctor or other healthcare provider.
• The leading cause of injury-related deaths in people 65 or older is a fall.
• In 2010, roughly 2.3 million people 65 or older suffered nonfatal fall injuries and more than 660,000 were hospitalized with approximately $30 billion in direct medical costs.

With these stats in mind, it"s apparent that falls in seniors is a serious problem that should be dealt with accordingly. Not only are many people at risk for injury or death, but it is leading to large medical costs as well.

One of the best steps is to review the Fall Prevention Checklist to learn ways you can make the home safer. While these measures can go a long way toward protecting seniors, a LifeFone medical alert system is another very important step. While one cannot predict when a person may fall, having access to fast medical help can greatly impact the outcome. With the push of a button on the medical alert device, professional, trained Care Agents come on a speaker on the base unit to provide quick access to help. Whether it be an ambulance or a call to a neighbor, LifeFone"s Care Agents contact the right people!