Falls prevention program to address billion-dollar problem
By Mike Tighe, La Crosse Tribune, Wis. | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
"I'm like, holy cow! I'm over 65," said
Bills for those hospitalized tally upwards of
"Because
The coalition, which includes educators, occupational and physical therapists, service and health care providers and others will sponsor its inaugural three-day program to teach people how to avoid falls from
Other statistics underscore the magnitude of the problem.
For example, the
--Falls outpace traffic accidents as the leading cause of accidental death among Wisconsinites 65 or older. In 2008, 918 people died because of injuries suffered in falls. The same year, 571 died of injuries in car crashes.
--In 2008, charges from fall-related hospitalizations and emergency department visits for
--Nationally, the direct medical costs of falls, adjusted for inflation, were
--Nearly two-thirds of those hospitalized in
The coalition's workshop series, part of the national Falls Prevention Awareness Week, is intended to teach older folks how to avoid falls.
"Falling is not a normal part of aging," Holmes said. "People are ripe for the education."
The free
One workshop attracting a lot of interest is titled "I've Fallen and I CAN Get Up," Holmes said. That session will teach participants how to remain calm and relaxed during a fall and six steps to get back up safely.
Other sessions will include an overview of
All of those factors are involved in guarding against falls, Holmes said.
"Strength is important, vision is important, the medications you are on are important. It's about knowing how they are related to falls," she said. "There are shoes that can make you fall and shoes that help you avoid falls."
The three-day program's tagline, "Building Confidence and
"When they fall, they become afraid of falling, so they sit in a chair and become less active, thinking they will be safe," while inactivity actually can increase the risk, she said.
For more information on the three-day program and the coalition, go to www.lacrossestopfalls.org/index.asp or call the La Crosse County Aging Unit at 608-775-9710.
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(c)2014 the La Crosse Tribune (La Crosse, Wis.)
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