Recent findings by the US National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health note that our senior population experiences an estimated 29 million falls each year, with these falls resulting in “27,000 deaths and 7 million injuries requiring medical treatment or restricted activity for at least 1 day.” Beyond the sheer number of falls (29 million is an alarming number!), what’s really attention-getting is the fact that compared to a similar report form the year 2000, the number of fatalities arising from senior falls has more than doubled.

Kaiser Health News has examined this situation and the trends surrounding it and has suggested that although the specific reasons why the volume of fatal falls is on the rise may not be known, there may be some underlying factors that contribute to the risk of falling. Among these are the simple truth that living longer brings with it the onset of conditions like diabetes and cardiovascular disease, both of which can contribute to diminished body strength and physical stability and often lead to the ingesting of medications that can affect the body’s general stability.  In a June 27, 2019 post on their website, Kaiser contributing columnist Judith Graham provides a thorough analysis of the situation, and offers thoughts on what needs to be done to reduce the risk of falling that seniors face. It’s a great article, and can be accessed here…

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