This is the 10th year for the National Council of Aging’s National Falls Prevention Awareness campaign.
Together with other safety advocates and government agencies, the dangers of fatal falls for older adults is a message being spread during this year’s Fall Prevention Awareness Week (September 22 – 28, 2018).
Falls Can be Fatal for Older Adults
For many adults over the age of 65 years, the risk of being seriously injured in a fall, and dying as a result of those bodily injuries, is much higher than it is for their children or grandchildren.
Statistics show that falls are the leading cause of injury that brings older adults to an emergency room or hospital for treatment. Over half of all fatal head injuries sustained by older adults is the result of a fall.
The risk of dying from a fall is rising for older adults. Deaths from falls in adults over the age of 65 years jumped 31% from 2007 to 2016. The CDC reports “…a significant increase” in this national rate occurred in Illinois and Indiana.
For details, read Burns E, Kakara R. Deaths from Falls Among Persons Aged ≥65 Years — United States, 2007–2016. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2018;67:509–514. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6718a1.
Causes of Serious and Deadly Falls for Those 65+ Years Old
There are a number of reasons for the increased risk of serious and deadly injuries from a fall in an older adult.
Chronic Illnesses and Deadly Falls
One big problem comes from those suffering from illnesses like chronic kidney disease (CKD), a common problem facing many older adults (around 15% of older Americans). CKD increases the risk of a serious fall. So does diabetes.
Other Causes of Fatal Falls
Other contributing factors to a fatal fall in an older adult include:
- Prescription medications;
- Less muscle strength in arms and legs;
- Bad eyesight;
- Bad hearing (can impact balance);
- Hazards in the room (rug, pet, clutter, cords, etc.); and
- Clothing hazards (shoes, hems, etc.).
Care Providers and Fatal Falls
This week, all sorts of health care professionals and safety advocates as well as older adults, caregivers, nursing home staff members, family, and friends will be working to change the growing risk of a deadly fall for older adults here in Indiana and Illinois.
Falls Prevention activities will include education on the steps that need to be taken not only in the person’s home, but by those who help to care for the older adult.
There is a special need to protect older adults against falls when they live in care facilities or nursing homes, as well as when they are undertaking forms of physical therapy or medical rehabilitation.
For instance, nurse practitioners, physical therapists, and occupational therapists must be vigilant against their patients suffering a serious injury in a fall. For more, read Elley, C. Raina, et al. “Effectiveness of a Falls‐and‐Fracture Nurse Coordinator to Reduce Falls: A Randomized, Controlled Trial of At‐Risk Older Adults: (See editorial comments by Dr. Mary Tinetti on pp 1563–1565).” Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 56.8 (2008): 1383-1389.
The Danger of Fatal Falls in Nursing Homes
Nursing home residents are particularly vulnerable to falls. From the Indiana Department of Health comes the following warning that falls occur more often in nursing homes according to CDC research because nursing home residents:
- Are frailer than older adults living in the community;
- Are older than older adults living in the community;
- Find it harder to walk than those over the age of 65 living in the community;
- May need help with the activities of daily living, like getting dressed;
- Suffer from gait problems;
- Fall victim to wet floors;
- Have shoes that don’t fit properly;
- Placed in beds not at the proper height;
- Have wheelchairs that are not fitted to them;
- Given improper walking aides (cane when walker is needed, etc.);
- Placed in wheelchairs that have not been properly maintained and repaired;
- Given medications that increase the likelihood of a fall (sedatives, anti-anxiety medications);
- Not monitored while under the influence of these medications.
CDC STEADI Initiative for Health Care Providers
The risk of elderly deaths due to falls has contributed to the CDC developing its own “clinical practice guideline for fall prevention” that is designed “…to reduce fall risk by giving older adults tailored interventions.” This has been created specifically for use by doctors, nurses, and other clinical care providers.
The CDC warns “… [a]s a healthcare provider, you are already aware that falls are a serious threat to the health and well-being of your older patients. You play an important role in caring for older adults, and you can help reduce these devastating injuries.”
Called the STEADI (Stopping Elderly Accidents, Death and Injuries) Initiative, the CDC program asks that care providers do three things:
- Screen patients for fall risk,
- Assess modifiable risk factors, and
- Intervene to reduce risk by using effective clinical and community strategies.
There are toolkits and other resources offered as part of the STEADI Intiative for the health care providers. They include:
- Algorithm for Fall Risk Screening, Assessment & Intervention;
- Preventing Falls in Older Patients: Provider Pocket Guide;
- Medication Review to Help Prevent Older Adult Falls.
Older Adult Fall Accidents and Injury Claims
Anyone responsible for the care or well-being of an elder adult undertakes a legal duty under the personal injury laws of Indiana and Illinois. A specific legal duty is defined for those who provide health care services (licensed practitioners like doctors and nurses).
Should an older adult suffer serious or deadly injuries in a fall they may have legal rights that can be protected as justice is sought for what has occurred.
If the fall is found to be caused by the neglect or malpractice of a care provider, then the wrongdoers can be held legally accountable for what they have done (or failed to do) which caused the tragic fall.
In our next post, we will discuss in more detail the tragedies of nursing home neglect of elders who suffer fatal falls while in their care. Please be careful out there!
