A simple slip in the tub or on a loose mat
can be a health disaster for elderly Americans,
experts say.
Each year, more than 1.6 million seniors
are treated in U.S. hospital emergency rooms
for fall-related injuries caused by incidents
such as slipping on a wet bathroom floor,
loss of balance on stairs, or tripping on
a throw rug, according to the U.S. National
Institute on Aging (NIA).
Among older adults in the United States,
falls are the leading cause of fractures,
hospital admissions for trauma, loss of independence,
and injury-related deaths.
But falls are not an unavoidable part of
aging, the NIA says. Information about the
risks of falling and how to prevent falls
was recently added to the NIHSeniorHealth
Web site. There's advice about eliminating
hazards at home, exercising, and other lifestyle
changes that can reduce the risk of falls.
The Web site is a joint effort of the NIA
and the National Library of Medicine. Both
are part of the U.S.
National Institutes of Health.
"Falls can have devastating effects
in older people," Dr. Richard J. Hodes,
NIA director, said in a prepared statement.
In older people, even a simple fall can cause
a serious fracture of the arm, hand, ankle
or hip. For example, only about half of older
adults who are hospitalized for a broken hip
return home or are able to live on their own
after the injury.
