Facts on Fall Prevention and National Resources

Falls are the fourth leading cause of unintentional injury death for North Carolinians and the number one cause of injury death for individuals 65 and older. By 2030 it is projected that 73 of NC’s 100 counties will have a population in which more than 20% of the residents are over 65 years old. The median discharge fee for a fall related Emergency Room visit in NC was $25,404 in 2011. The total hospital discharge fees in that same year for North Carolinians 65 and older due to falls was over $806 million dollars.

https://www.ncoa.org/news/resources-for-reporters/get-the-facts/falls-prevention-facts/

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

• One in four Americans aged 65+ falls each year.
• Every 11 seconds, an older adult is treated in the emergency room for a fall; every 19 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 2.8 million injuries treated in emergency departments annually, including over 800,000 hospitalizations and more than 27,000 deaths.
• In 2015, the total cost of fall injuries was $50 billion. Medicare and Medicaid shouldered 75% of these costs.
• The financial toll for older adult falls is expected to increase as the population ages and may reach $67.7 billion by 2020.

Falls, with or without injury, also carry a heavy quality of life impact. A growing number of older adults fear falling and, as a result, limit their activities and social engagements. This can result in further physical decline, depression, social isolation, and feelings of helplessness.

http://ncfallsprevention.org/falls-data/

North Carolina

The NC Division of Public Health’s Injury and Violence Prevention Branch provides statewide surveillance of fall injuries that result in self-reported injuries, emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and deaths.

• For an updated report on the burden of fall-related injuries in NC, click here.
• For a new fact sheet with updated falls data in NC, click here.
• A new video presentation of updated falls data in NC is available here.
• For county-level falls data by region and hospital charges by year, click here.
• For an overview of the falls data that is available, click here.
• County-level data for falls and other injuries is available here.

National

• For national falls data, click here.

The National Council on Aging (NCOA)

National Falls Prevention Awareness Day: September 22

www.ncoa.org/healthy-aging/falls-prevention/falls-prevention-awareness-day/

The National Council on Aging hosts Falls Prevention Awareness Day on the first day of fall each year. This year’s 8^th annual event themed “Take a stand to prevent falls” seeks to raise awareness about how to prevent fall-related injuries among older adults. Use these resources including tools and suggested activities to plan and promote a successful Falls Prevention Awareness Day event in your community.

• National Falls Prevention Resource Center

www.ncoa.org/center-for-healthy-aging/falls-resource-center/

• Falls Free Initiative

www.ncoa.org/healthy-aging/falls-prevention/falls-free-initiative/

• Infographic: 6 Steps to Prevent a Fall

www.ncoa.org/resources/infographic-6-steps-to-prevent-a-fall/

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

• Falls Among Older Adults: An Overview

www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/Falls/adultfalls.html

• STEADI (Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths and Injuries) Toolkit for Healthcare Providers

www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/Falls/steadi/index.html

This CDC created toolkit provides materials and resources for health care providers be able to identify patients at low, moderate, and high risk for a fall; identify modifiable risk factors; and offer effective interventions.

Stopfalls.org - California’s Fall Prevention Center of Excellence

Fall Prevention Awareness Week: September 22 – 28, 2018

http://stopfalls.org/news-events/fall-prevention-awareness-week/

Check out California’s Fall Prevention Center of Excellence for ideas and resources to help you plan for Fall Prevention Awareness Week, day, month or anytime!

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services - Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

Preventing Falls in Hospitals: A Toolkit for Improving Quality of Care www.ahrq.gov/professionals/systems/hospital/fallpxtoolkit/index.html