Facts and Statistics
According to experts, falls in and around the home are
a major cause of injuries and hospitalizations in people aged 65 and older.
These statistics show how common and serious falls can be.
Falls are common:
- 30% of people over age 65 fall
each year—most of these falls happen at home during everyday activities
- Falls are the number one cause of
accidental injury in adults 65 and older
- 2 out of 3 visits to the emergency
room by older adults involve falls
- The number and severity of falls increase
with a person’s age.
Falls
have serious consequences:
- 40% of older adults hospitalized
with a hip fracture require nursing home admission
- Hospital stays resulting from falls in older adults are twice as long as for older adults hospitalized for other reasons
- From a study published in
the New England Journal of Medicine: "For
elderly people who live alone, becoming incapacitated and unable to get help
is a common event, which usually marks the end of their ability to live independently."
Getting help
quickly makes a difference:
- People with medical alert systems have fewer hospital admissions and shorter stays.
Do you or a loved one need a medical alert system? Take our quiz.
As my mother was going to bed one evening, she lost her balance and fell
backwards. She pushed her pendant button and, within minutes, we were
there to help. Alert1 relieves some of the stress of her living
alone.
— Amanda S.