A Focus On Fall Prevention During Older Americans Month

By Dr. Marciene Mattleman

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Each year, according to Nora Super, executive director of the recent White House Conference on Aging, one in three Americans over 65 falls and the fear of falling may lead them to limit their activities, which can worsen mobility, increase the risk of falling and detract from the quality of life.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released data on the seriousness of this issue and of new tools to reduce falls in older adults.

From 2000-2013 age-adjusted death rates from unintentional falls grew for those 65 and over - 38.2 per 100,000 to 67.9 for males and death rates virtually doubled from 24.6 in 2000 to 49.1 in 2013.

The CDC has developed a community guide for implementing evidence-based fall prevention with resources and strategies to initiate and maintain effective programs and the President's 20!6 year budget includes $5 million in new funding to expand this work.

An important issue as we celebrate Older Americans month.