Are Your Parents at Risk of Falling?
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
One-third of Americans aged 65+ falls each year.
Every 14 seconds, an older adult is treated in the emergency room for a fall; every 29 minutes, an older adult dies following a fall.
Falls are the leading cause of fatal injury and the most common cause of nonfatal trauma-related hospital admissions among older adults.
Falls result in more than 2.4 million injuries treated in emergency departments annually, including over 772,000 hospitalizations and more than 21,700 deaths.
In 2012, the total cost of fall injuries was over $36 billion.
The financial toll for older adult falls is expected to increase as the population ages and may reach $59.6 billion by 2020.
Falls with or without injury also carry a heavy quality of life impact. A growing number of older adults fear falling and, as a result, self-limit activities and social engagements. This can result in further physical decline, my-antidepressant-info.com, social isolation, and feelings of helplessness.
The Physical Therapy Doctor, P.C. in Bayside, NY, is determined to reduce the falling risk in Queens residents.