Newswise — Each year in this country, one of every three people over age 65 suffers a fall, resulting in nearly 16,000 deaths. The federal government estimates that 1.8 million older adults who fall are treated each year in hospital emergency rooms for nonfatal injuries " including bruises, fractures and head trauma " and that 433,000 of those individuals need to be hospitalized because of their injuries. Research published this month in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society has found that a significant number of those falls " an average of 129 per day " involve the use of walkers and canes, the very devices on which millions rely to help them avoid the dangers posed by falling.
"Falls are a particularly serious health hazard for the elderly," said Dr. Anita Chopra, a geriatrician and the director of the New Jersey Institute for Successful Aging at the UMDNJ-School of Osteopathic Medicine. "When an older person falls, there is a 20 to 30 percent chance of an injury that could result in an extended period of convalescence or limit that person's ability to live independently."
Noting that the study found that more than half (56 percent) of the falls that caused injury occurred in the home, Chopra said that having an assistive device like a cane or walker isn't enough to ensure safety from falling.
"There are many falling hazards in the home," she said. "Clothing that is too long, shoes or slippers that don't provide good support, clutter, loose rugs or poorly lit rooms can all contribute to falls."
According to Chopra, falling is not an inevitable part of aging.
"As we grow older, the likelihood of a fall increases, as does the chance that the fall will cause some sort of injury," she said. "Taking proactive steps " including exercise to improve balance and strength, being aware that some medications can affect balance, getting regular vision checks and getting prompt medical attention for any pain or difficulties with your ears " will help to keep falls out of your life as you age."
The UMDNJ-School of Osteopathic Medicine is dedicated to providing excellence in medical education, research and health care for New Jersey and the nation. Working in cooperation with Kennedy Memorial Hospitals-University Medical Center, its principal affiliate, the UMDNJ-School of Osteopathic Medicine places an emphasis on primary health care and community health services that reflect its osteopathic philosophy, with centers of excellence that demonstrate its commitment to developing clinically skillful, compassionate and culturally competent physicians from diverse backgrounds, who are prepared to become leaders in their communities.
The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) is the nation's largest free-standing public health sciences university with nearly 5,700 students attending the state's three medical schools, its only dental school, a graduate school of biomedical sciences, a school of health related professions, a school of nursing and a school of public health on five campuses. Annually, there are more than two million patient visits at UMDNJ facilities and faculty practices at campuses in Newark, New Brunswick/Piscataway, Scotch Plains, Camden and Stratford. UMDNJ operates University Hospital, a Level I Trauma Center in Newark, and University Behavioral HealthCare, a statewide mental health and addiction services network.
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