Fall Safety Facts:

Each year, millions of adults and children are injured to to accidental falls. Falls can cause moderate to severe injuries, such as hip fractures and head traumas, and can increase the risk of early death in older people. Fortunately, falls are a public health problem that is largely preventable.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

  • One-third of Americans aged 65+ falls each year.
  • Every 13 seconds, an adult is treated in the emergency room for a fall; every 20 minutes, an older adult dies from a fall.
  • Falls are the leading cause of fatal injury and the most common cause of nonfatal trauma-related hospital admissions among older adults.
  • Falls result in more than 2.5 million injuries treated in emergency departments annually, including over 734,000 hospitalizations and more than 21,700 deaths.
  • In 2013, the total cost of fall injuries was $34 billion.
  • The financial toll for falls is expected to increase as the population ages and may reach $67.7 billion by 2020.
  • The death rates from falls among older men and women have risen sharply over the past decade.

Custom SAME DAY Grab Bar Installation

Family Safe Homes Provides Custom Grab Bar Installation. We have a wide selection of ADA Approved Grab Bars to choose from to match your decor. From a 12″ Hand Grab Bar, to a 24″ Shower Grab Bar to a 42″ Hallway or Toilet Grab Bar. Stainless Steel Grab Bars, White Grab Bars to decorative Antique Grab Bars, we have the finish to match your home.

How can falls be prevented?

  • One-third of Americans aged 65+ falls each year.

  • Make homes safer by reducing tripping hazards, adding grab bars inside and outside the tub or shower and next to the toilet, adding railings on both sides of stairways, and improving the lighting in their homes.

  • Exercise regularly. It is important that the exercises focus on increasing leg strength and improving balance, and that they get more challenging over time. Tai Chi programs are especially good.
  • Ask their doctor or pharmacist to review medicines—both prescription and over-the counter—to identify medicines that may cause side effects or interactions such as dizziness or drowsiness.
  • Have your eyes checked by an eye doctor at least once a year and update their eyeglasses to maximize their vision. Consider getting a pair with single vision distance lenses for some activities such as walking outside.
To lower their hip fracture risk, older adults can:
  • Get adequate calcium and vitamin D—from food and/or from supplements.
  • Do weight bearing exercise.
  • Get screened and, if needed, treated for osteoporosis.

More Lifestyle Facts for Older Adults

Following some simple lifestyle changes can reduce the risk of falls and disease and increase mobility and improve physical and mental health.

  • Burns are a leading causes of home injuries, according to the NCIPC. Burns are caused primarily from fires. Older adults are killed in home fires at twice the rate of society as a whole. Properly installed and functioning Smoke Detectors can Greatly Reduce this Risk.

  • Poisoning is mostly caused by medicine non-compliance: older adults are six times more likely than other age groups to suffer adverse medical reactions

  • Protect your heart. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in both men and women. According to the American Heart Association, most heart attacks in women occur in the 10 years after menopause. To reduce your heart disease risk, know your blood pressure, total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides, fasting blood glucose, body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference and keep them within a healthy range.

  • Maintain a healthy weight. Overweight and obesity can have a greater impact on our health—and on how we feel—as we get older. It’s often more difficult to lose weight with age—our metabolism slows down and muscle is replaced by fat—so it’s important to eat right and keep an eye on portion sizes

  • Being physically active is vital to maintaining health and independence as we age. Moderately fit women and men had a 50 percent lower risk of type 2 diabetes, hypertension, coronary heart disease, obesity, and some cancers when compared with their low fit peers.

  • Exercise, good nutrition, regular health screenings, getting vaccines, having enough sleep, and participating in activities you enjoy are just a few ways to promote healthy aging.

  • See your health care provider regularly for check-ups, health screenings and diagnostic tests, and immunizations. Recommendations vary and are affected by several factors, including overall health.

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