Medicine/Falls prevention

Fall and injury prevention continues to be a considerable challenge across the care continuum.

In the United States, unintentional falls are the most common cause of nonfatal injuries for people older than 65 years. Up to 32 percent of community-dwelling individuals over the age of 65 fall each year, and females fall more frequently than males in this age group.

Fall-related injuries are the most common cause of accidental death in those over the age of 65, resulting in approximately 41 fall-related deaths per 100,000 people per year. In 2009, Adair County, MO reported 6,588 emergency room visits for falls, a total of 26.5%, higher than the state average of 25.81%. In the same year 735 individuals were hospitalized for a serious fall or injury.