More about falls among older adults

Fall data

 

https://www.cdc.gov/falls/data-research/index.html

Falls are the leading cause of injury-related death among adults ages 65 and older, and the fall death rate is increasing.4 The age-adjusted fall death rate increased by 41% from 55.3 per 100,000 older adults in 2012 to 78.0 per 100,000 older adults in 2021.

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Falls among adults aged 65 and older are common, costly, and preventable. Falls are the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries among older adults.

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https://www.cdc.gov/falls/data-research/facts-stats/index.html

• One out of 10 falls results in an injury that causes the older adult to restrict their activities for a day or more or to seek attention from the healthcare system.1

• Each year, there are about 3 million emergency department visits due to older people falls.2

• Each year, there are about 1 million fall-related hospitalizations among older adults.2

• In 2019, 83% percent of hip fracture deaths and 88% of emergency department visits and hospitalizations for hip fractures were caused by falls.3

• Each year, nearly 319,000 older people are hospitalized for hip fractures.3

• Falls are the most common cause of traumatic brain injuries (TBI).4

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After a fall

Many falls do not cause injuries. While not all falls result in an injury, about 37% of those who fall reported an injury that required medical treatment or restricted their activity for at least one day.5 These injuries can make it hard for a person to get around, do everyday activities, or live on their own.

• Falls can cause broken bones, like wrist, arm, ankle, and hip fractures.6

• Falls can cause head injuries. These can be very serious, especially if the person is taking certain medicines (like blood thinners). An older person who falls and hits their head should see their doctor right away to make sure they don't have a brain injury.7

• Many people who fall, even if they're not injured, become afraid of falling. This fear may cause a person to cut down on their everyday activities. When a person is less active, they become weaker and this increases their chances of falling.8

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https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/falls#:~:text=Falls%20are%20the%20second%20leading,greatest%20number%20of%20fatal%20falls

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• Falls are the second leading cause of unintentional injury deaths worldwide.

• Each year an estimated 684 000 individuals die from falls globally of which over 80% are in low- and middle-income countries.

• Adults older than 60 years of age suffer the greatest number of fatal falls.

• 37.3 million falls that are severe enough to require medical attention occur each year.

• Prevention strategies should emphasize education, training, creating safer environments, prioritizing fall-related research and establishing effective policies to reduce risk.

 

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/2197-1714-1-5 (Identifying characteristics and outcomes that are associated with fall-related fatalities: multi-year retrospective summary of fall deaths in older adults from 2005–2012)

About 2/3 of falls happen indoors and the falls result in moderate to severe injuries happen more often in bathrooms.​

Living room, bedroom, and bathrooms are the most common indoor location that older adults fall. 

Residents were more likely to experience their fall and resultant injury inside their home.

A common place for an injurious fall leading to mortality within the home was the bedroom and bathroom.

 

Cost of U.S emergency department and inpatient visits for fall injuries in older adults

Among older adults who fall, over half receive medical care in the hospital; 34% are treated and released from the emergency department and 19% are admitted for their injuries [14] 

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