Saturday, June 13, 2009

Preventing Falls Among Older Adults

Unintentional falls are a threat to the lives, independence and health of adults ages 65 and older. Every 18 seconds, an older adult is treated in an emergency department for a fall, and every 35 minutes someone in this population dies as a result of their injuries.

Although one in three older adults falls each year in the United States, falls are not an inevitable part of aging. There are proven strategies that can reduce falls and help older adults live better and longer.

The following materials give an overview of the problem of older adult falls and how they can be prevented.