Welcome the Fall Season by Supporting National Falls Prevention Awareness
Contributed by Sherri Snelling
While Saturday marked the first official day of fall, this whole season is the kick-off to Falls Prevention Awareness. Falls – whether they happen in the home or just getting around town – are the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries for older Americans. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in every 3 Americans over age 65 suffers a fall and more than 18,000 seniors die every year from a fall-related incident. Whether the fall results in a hip fracture, a head injury or other physical problem, more than 2.3 million seniors age 65+ were treated in ERs across the country with a non-fatal fall injury with more than 662,000 of those cases resulting in hospitalizations.