Learn what you can do to protect yourself and your loved ones this Older Americans Month
Falls are a major health risk for older adults. In fact, older adult falls lead to about 3 million emergency room visits every year. After a fall, about 20% of older adults will experience a serious injury, like a head injury or a broken bone, after a fall.
Falls don’t just cause injuries, either. They can also lead to a loss of independence and a lower quality of life. They are also costly. Treatment for injuries from falls costs about $80 billion annually, with a large portion of this paid for by Medicare and Medicaid.
However, falls can be prevented. While it’s easy to focus on age-related physical changes and things we can no longer do, we can all take steps to stay safe and healthy and lower the risk of falls. Lifestyle changes, evidence-based falls prevention programs, and clinical-community partnerships can go a long way toward reducing the number of falls among older adults.
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