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.
The statistics below show how common and serious falls can be.
Falls are common:
- 30% of people over the age of 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 years 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 who are hospitalized
with a hip fracture require nursing home admission
- Hospital stays in older adults after
a fall are twice as long as those in older adults hospitalized for other reasons
- According to 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 have fewer hospital admissions
and shorter stays after they subscribe to a personal emergency response system.
As my mother was going to bed one evening, she lost her balance and fell
backwards. She had to push her pendant button and within minutes we were
there to help her up. Alert 1 relieves some of the stress of her living
alone.
— Amanda S.