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A Tool Kit
to Prevent Senior Falls |
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For millions of older Americans, falls present a serious health risk. In the United States, one of every three persons age 65 and older falls each year. Among older adults, falls are the leading cause of injury deaths and the most common cause of injuries and hospital admissions for trauma. In 1997, about 9,000 seniors died of fall-related injuries. The total direct cost of fall injuries in 1994 among people 65 and older was $20.2 billion. And the number of people over age 65 is expected to increase from 31.0 million in 1990 to 68.1 million by 2040.
Fractures are the most serious health consequence of falls. Eighty-seven percent of all fractures among older adults are due to falls. Approximately 250,000 hip fractures, the most serious fracture, occur each year among people over age 65. Half of all older people hospitalized for hip fractures cannot return home or live independently after their injury.
Many of these falls and resulting injuries can be prevented. Strategies to prevent falls among older adults include exercises to improve strength, balance, and flexibility; reviews of medications that may affect balance; and home modifications that reduce fall hazards such as installing grab bars, improving lighting, and removing items that may cause tripping.
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Fact Sheets
Brochures
What YOU Can Do To Prevent Falls
- PDF Version, English, Color (Accessible)
- Print-Ready PDF Version, English, Color
- PDF Version, English, Black and White
- Print-Ready PDF Version, English Black and White PDF Version, Spanish, Color (Accessible)
- Print-Ready PDF Version, Spanish, Color
- PDF Version, Spanish, Color, Black and White
- Print-Ready PDF Version, Spanish, Black and White
- Print-Ready Pagemaker Files, English; Zip file containing Pagemaker 7.0 files
(25 MB; not recommended for download over dial-up Internet connections.)
- Print-Ready Support Files, English; for use with Pagemaker files Zip file containing graphic and font files (9 MB; not recommended for download over dial-up Internet connections)
- Print-Ready Versions, Spanish; Zip file containing print-ready PDFs, Pagemaker 7.0 files, and support files (fonts and graphics) (12 MB; not recommended for download over dial-up Internet connections.)
Check For Safety: A Home Fall Prevention Checklist for Older Adults
- PDF Version, English, Color (Accessible)
- PDF Version, English, Black and White
- PDF Version, Spanish, Color (Accessible)
- PDF Version, Spanish, Color, Black and White
- Print-Ready Versions, English; Zip file containing print-ready PDFs, Pagemaker 7.0 files and support files (fonts, and graphics) (12 MB; not recommended for download over dial-up Internet connections.)
- Print-Ready Versions, Spanish; Zip file containing print-ready PDFs, Pagemaker 7.0 files and support files (fonts, and graphics) (12 MB; not recommended for download over dial-up Internet connections.)
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